Another Day in Paradise
by Rem-chan
Summary: The battle is over and life can at last go on. But life has a way of never being simple, even over the simplest of things, and not all battles are fought away from home. Life after the fact, KHII spoilers.
1. Secret

**Author's Note: **Sometimes normal life is taken for granted, especially if you haven't lived it for a long time. Having completed KHII, I couldn't help but wonder how our intrepid heroes would fare when they tried to pick up the lives they left behind. This fanfiction, for the most part, is intended to be written serial/vignette style, with an overall plot but with each chapter focusing on only one or two elements at a time, this focus revealed in the chapter title.

However, we start with where it all began: in the past.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Prologue: Secret**

"But it's true! It's right there!"

"No, it's _not_! You're just a liar!"

Riku's eyes blazed, small fists tightening at his sides. "I am _not _a liar! _You're_ the one that's lying!"

Sora glared back at him with equal fury, or at least as much fury as an eight year-old could manage. "I don't lie, you…you jerk! You just want to prove you're better then me!"

Rivalry was a new thing to the boys. Kairi had brought it, however inadvertently, and now and then it reared its ugly head. This excursion had started simply enough, Riku rushing to Sora in an excited state, going on and on about something new and amazing he'd found in the Secret Place. But now matter how much Riku yelled and swore it was there, Sora saw nothing that hadn't been in the cool, damp cave before.

Riku, on the other hand, felt a rising panic in the back of his young mind, scared of what seeing something other people didn't might mean. He'd thought that, out of all people, Sora would be the one to find an equal thrill and touch of pride over something that they had found and witnessed. Instead, all he'd gotten was confusion and unfair accusations, at least to his eyes, and the growing fear that something might be wrong. But Riku was never one to show his fear, so it changed to anger, the older boy abruptly shoving his friend. "I do not!"

Sora stumbled, shocked at the action, but recovered quickly. He didn't like that Riku was getting taller than him, bigger than him. They were supposed to be best friends, right? Didn't best friends wait for each other? Riku always seemed to leave him behind, and if there was something that only Riku could do—or that only he could see—well…it hurt. But Sora was never one to show his hurt, so he shoved in return, as hard as he could. "You do too!"

Shocked by the strength, Riku tottered back, hitting the ground hard, and the jarring up his spine snapped something in his mind. He was up before he knew what he was doing, lunging at Sora and tackling him to the ground, fists flying. Sora let out a surprised squawk, but retaliated instantly, kicking and thrashing. Their vision blurred, anger and pride driving them further, and it was only when a third pair of hands grabbed onto Riku's shoulders, tugging him off his younger friend, did they start to think again.

"Stop it, stop it!" Kairi cried, suddenly there, as she was sometimes. It was so odd, really. She just had that way about her, an ability to be where she was needed, to be with _them_ when they needed her. That was why they thought sometimes that she would be with one of them when he needed her, but not the other…it was a scary thing to think about, and one neither of them would admit to. "What're you doing!"

Sora was the first to manage to speak, shoving himself up into a sitting position, blood streaming from his nose and a dark bruise on his cheek. "He…he started it! He's seeing things!"

"I am _not_!" Riku countered angrily, speech slightly garbled by a torn lip, collar of his shirt ripped and hanging lopsidedly off his shoulder. "It's right there!"

Kairi looked at Riku, releasing his shoulders and stepping back, worry in her eyes. "…what? What is it, Riku?"

Desperate for someone to believe him, Riku gestured at the old, crumbling wooden planks at the back of the cavern. They seemed so incongruous, more so than ever. The Secret Place was a familiar heaven now, cool, damp walls adorned with their childish musings, the pale white stones littered about the soft dirt of the floor perfect for illustrating their imaginings. The ancient roots above masked the sky for the most part, letting in only a few of the first drops of rain from a coming storm. They would have to go home soon, they knew, the shivered rustling of the trees beyond the cavern a result of a warning wind.

But not yet. Not yet. Riku had to make them see…an urgency was growing in him, heart pounding faster with a need that scared him more than anything else. They were his friends, his _friends_, surely they would agree with him? They always stood by him, even when the other kids at school avoided him, or whispered about his hair and his family, or any of the other countless cruelties that children seemed so apt in producing.

Surely…they'd stand by him in this? The first time he'd seen it, years ago, he'd thought he really had just been seeing things, but to see it again? It had to be real…it _had _to be.

"There…there, on the…door. You can see it, right?"

Somehow, it was Kairi's confused, faintly pitying eyes that made his heart sink the most. "See…what?"

Riku's face fell and he couldn't find it within himself to say any more. In the silence that followed, Sora gave one angry, defiant sniff—hiding the tears that touched the corners of his eyes—and stumbled to his feet. Glaring heatedly, hurt gathering as a lump in his throat, he stomped out towards the tunnel, leaving without another word. Kairi lingered, but Riku didn't want her to see the fear, the odd betrayal that he felt, and he turned away. After a few moments soft footfalls marked her exit.

It took Riku several minutes to recognize the sound after it started. It came from the back of his throat, punctuated by heavy swallows and sharp sniffs as he tried to hide what he was actually doing. But there really was no point to it, was there? No one was here. No one could see him crying. So that made it okay, didn't it?

Somehow, he knew it didn't, but the pride and the confidence that he usually called upon to banish tears were oddly absent. Bereft and abruptly, terribly lonely, he lifted curled fists to his eyes, a tiny, bitter sob escaping him. The cool soil was beneath his knees now, Riku hunching on the ground as he wept, ashamed and afraid. He wasn't some crybaby and he wasn't a freak. He _wasn't_. It…it just hurt a little, that was all. Just a little.

He wouldn't cry again, if he had anything to say about it. He'd be strong and never cry if he was hurt, or lonely, or scared. He'd always have a brave face and a smirk like the older boys at school. That way, no one would see him like this, especially not himself. He'd be strong and people would believe him when he told them things. Not just his friends, but _everybody_. They'd listen to what he had to say, because he wouldn't say things unless they were especially important.

Riku would make sure they could see it, too. There was nothing wrong with him for being able to see the curling, golden lines on the wood. There was nothing wrong with how he just _knew _the planks were actually a door. There was nothing wrong with how the black space beyond the simple, elegant keyhole called to him. He'd _make _them see, so he wouldn't be left alone after fighting Sora and scaring Kairi, with only his tears to comfort him.

He would be all these things and then it wouldn't hurt so much any more.


	2. Home

**AN: **Now the real story begins, starting directly—and I do mean directly—after the end of the game. The varying moods and themes of the chapters will become evident, since this one is much different from the prologue. Some chapters might be full of angst, or they might be full of humor. There might be some romance, there might be some drama. There might be horror or mystery, or even a little bit of everything, so stay tuned.

I'll try to keep these author's notes short for the most part, since we're all really here for the story, ne?

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter One: Home**

An anticlimax wasn't something they had been expecting. And it hadn't been, for the most part. There almost hadn't been an ending at all. When Xemnas had at last fallen and Sora and Riku had escaped the hundreds of Dusks waiting for them, there had only been that moonlit beach with waves that whispered in familiar tones. The part of Sora's mind that had learned to always be resourceful, to search for food and shelter and enemies whenever they landed on a new world, had immediately noticed that it was unlikely that they would be able to survive there. Nothing but barren rocks and smooth sand, a starless sky yawning in all directions, crowned with a pale orb that remained forever still.

Hardly a place where he could survive on fruits and mushrooms until they found civilization. So he'd ignored the voice in his head and listened instead to the calm murmurs of his heart. They had led him to the surf, carrying Riku all the way, and let him wait for the way home to come to him. Funny how things always worked out in the end. After that…

_Then_…then had been the climax. Of everything. Of all the days spent away, of every battle, every scar. The losses and the victories, the betrayals and the forgiveness, the separations and the reunions of the almost two years that they had been gone had all come down to one thing.

Home.

But once the tearful good-byes had passed—Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had their own homes, after all—there was an obvious question that had to be asked. It was Riku, ever the one to point these things out, who said it first, standing in the middle of the beach that had always been their playground.  
"…what now?"

The silence was palpable. The answer that Riku received was one that he hadn't been expecting. But Sora, ever the honest, felt compelled to tell the truth.

"…I have to pee."

Kairi snorted, then burst into a fit of giggles. Of all the things they could've done, all the emotion they could've shown, somehow it was the mundane that felt the most _right_. When on an epic journey, sometimes it was easy to forget just how normal one really is. Because they really were themselves, weren't they?

"So…," Riku started after taking a moment to digest Sora's words. He was having a hard time keeping a straight face himself, and he suspected that the little dance Sora was starting to do was purposely meant to rob him of his composure. "…are there even any boats here?"

The silence resumed as the trio looked to the small dock nearby. Kairi, ever the one to break hard truths to her friends, calmly replied.

"It…doesn't look like it."

"So we're _stuck_?"

Sora whined, hands fisting. As amusing as he was being, Riku was starting to suspect that his need was indeed serious. When he thought about it, there had been no time whatsoever since Sora entered The World That Never Was for him to use any kind of facilities. If such a thing as a toilet had existed in that barren city or—the mere idea of it seemed to boggle his mind—in the Organization's fortress, Sora certainly wouldn't have had the opportunity to use it. "But then how are we supposed to get to the main island?"

Riku considered their options. It felt absolutely ridiculous after having traversed worlds and faced their annihilation at the hands of their enemies to be stopped by something as simple as this. "Sora, can't you fly?"

"Not over water."

"What about floating? You did it while you were in that blue outfit. A Drive, you said it was?"  
"Hey, you're right! Except…I can't do that without Donald."

"Can you still summon people? Don't some of your friends fly?"  
"…err, I let them all go home."

"Freeze the water with a—…nevermind. Even I know that's too stupid to work."

Silence struck back. After several minutes, Kairi looked apologetically at Sora. "We might just have to wait for someone to show up."

"_What_?" Sora's expression was pitiful and he moved in a small, frantic circle. "It could be days!"

Riku pursed his lips, arms crossed. "Well, you could always wade out into the ocean and…you know. Kairi could look the other way…"

Sora missed Kairi's sudden blush as he went still, one eye slightly wider than the other as he stared at his best friend. Riku blinked, a little taken aback. After a moment, Sora whispered, expression almost…haunted. "You know…I've been to about twenty other worlds. Only three had plumbing. _Three_." There was a pause, Sora tilting his head in contemplation. "Wait, Halloween Town had toilets, but they all had teeth. But you get what I'm saying, right?"

"Um…"

The younger boy threw up his arms, apparently exasperated with Riku's slowness. "I've lost count of how many times I've had to go behind bushes or rocks or sand dunes and don't even let me get started on what it was like to go the bathroom as a mermaid…merman! We were BREATHING that water!"

Riku was openly staring now, a red-faced Kairi making small squeaking sounds behind her hands, but Sora didn't stop there, pacing back and forth on the sand. This rant was a long time coming, it seemed. "And then when I was a lion I had to find a tree _every time_ and Simba told me it was some dominance thing and that I really should quit it or I would have to fight him and it was bad enough that I fell over the first time! It was hard standing on three legs!"

Riku realized that Kairi's squeaks were in fact giggles that she was desperately trying to hold back. He also realized that his own face was starting to twitch quite a lot.

"I tried going over the side of the ship but Captain Jack found me and said something like 'Take care o' that sword o' yours, mate, and all the girls will be wild for ya, savvy?' and I have NO idea what he was talking about but then I couldn't go again until we got to the island!"

Kairi let loose something that was a cross between a scandalized squeal and a crack of laughter, falling right over with her hands desperately clutching her sides. Riku wasn't faring much better, arms crossed over his stomach as he doubled over, shoulders shaking from the effort it took him not to end up in the same condition as Kairi.

"And I didn't even know HOW I was supposed to go when I was in a COMPUTER! I mean, I couldn't even take the jumpsuit off! Tron tried to help but he asked to see my 'ports' and _come on_!"

That last part was emphasized by another toss of his arms and a stomp of his foot and Sora gave his friends a self-righteous look. "So I'm not going until I can do it in a real bathroom!"

The brunette gave a final indignant huff, hands on his hips, regarding the pair rendered helpless by his tirade. It took Riku quite a while before he managed to catch his breath, smoothing back his hair as Sora helped Kairi to her feet.  
"So…are you done?"

"…yeah, I think I'm good. I still really, really have to go, though."

Kairi, still stuck somewhere between embarrassed and terribly amused gave a sudden shout, pointing towards the ocean. "Hey, look! I think that's Selphie!"

"Really? Awesome!" Without preamble, Sora rushed back out onto the surf, seawater splashing up around his legs as he waved and hollered. Riku and Kairi were right behind him, though the two shared a secret smile as they chased after their friend.

They _were _themselves. And they were home.

**……………**

Many things happened when they at last went home. Home meant the return of responsibilities long forgotten. Family, friends, school, society, many, many things that Keyblade Masters and Princesses of Heart tended to forget about when traveling beyond their world. It would mean a new breed of problems, new kinds of trials that years spent saving existence would not have prepared them for. Another adventure would be beginning, a journey to reclaim the lives that they would've had and that had been changed irreparably by what had occurred in their place. But one thing would stand out more than any other in Riku's memory of their homecoming.

A week after their return Riku stirred in bed, a squeaking at his window piercing the thin haze of his dreams. Being constantly on the run had denied him deep sleep and at the first sign of something amiss he shot awake, sitting up in bed. His eyes went immediately to his window, tense hand nearly closing around the hilt of his Keyblade, but the pane was shoved in before he could react and a spiky head popped inside.

"…_Sora_? What're you doing here? It's the middle of the night!"

"I know, I know!" Sora whispered in a somewhat frantic voice, clamoring inside as quietly as possible. Riku could tell that he was distressed about something and his senses went on alert once again. "But I had to!"

Throwing back the covers, Riku got to his feet, helping his friend straighten. "Why? What is it? Is something wrong? Do you need me to—"

Sora cut him off, shaking his head and pulling away from Riku. "No, nothing like that! I just…ah!"

Abruptly, Sora's face lit up and he rushed to the door opposite Riku's bed, pulling it open and smiling at what he found. "I knew I wasn't remembering wrong! You _do _have your own bathroom!"

"…wait…_what_?"

"Thanks man!" The door slammed quietly behind Sora as he zipped inside, leaving a stunned Riku in his wake. He didn't stay stunned for long, however.

"…Sora! What're you doing?"

His friend chuckled behind the door. "What do you think?"

"But…but why _here_?"

"Because my mom said the flushing during the night was keeping her up," Sora heaved a long-suffering sigh. "She already said I couldn't take showers at night, either. And I think she was even a little mad when the toilet overflowed the fourth time…but _man_. It just doesn't get any better than this!"

So yes, Riku's outstanding memory of their first week back home was an odd one. But it wasn't often that a person had a best friend who was addicted to indoor plumbing.


	3. Hero

**AN: **The humor from the last chapter might not be repeated for a little while, I am afraid. Coming home isn't all fun and games, though I thought that the most hard-working of the trio might deserve a little bit more of a happy ending. Nothing ever stays so simple, but take what moments you can, I always say.

This chapter, and the several that will follow it, will mainly be setup until 'normal' life resumes. _Then _the fun will begin.

As a sidenote, all parental figures will be original characters, although more FF characters might make cameo appearances. You never know. :3

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Two: Hero**

Sora hadn't been expecting her to slap him. But after splitting off from his friends—they'd come to the unanimous agreement to face their families separately—and jogging home, Sora had envisioned a homecoming quite different from what he got. All the way through town, passing by townspeople that would look at him, then away, then back again, eyes widening as they stared at this retreating back, he'd had time to dream up what he would do. If he would cry, or laugh, or smile, or all three at once. If he would lose all strength in his legs, or if he would hug her so tight that they'd both lose their breath.

He'd already been smiling as he jogged past the small shaved ice hut that marked the unofficial city limit, sand sneaking into his shoes as he worked his way over rock-speckled beach towards the tall, white monolith that was the lighthouse. His home. A couple decades ago the original, very nearly ancient lighthouse had been lost in a fire, probably because it had still used _actual _fire for its light. It had been quickly replaced by a newer model, a clear shaft of white-blue light illuminating the dangerous shoals and reefs on this side of the island or cutting a bright pathway through dark and stormy nights.

As he neared it, Sora's pace slowed, steps more careful as he clamored over the patchy black rocks, gritty with salt and sand, towards the path choked with sparse, hardy grass. A bit of guilt slipped through him at the sight of it. Normally, it was _his _job to keep the path clear and he obviously hadn't been around to do it. As a matter of fact…there were a lot of things he hadn't been around to do. Since his father was always gone so much, it fell onto Sora, his mother, and whatever help they hired to maintain the huge hyperradiant frensel lens at the top. He remembered the days he had spent up there in the shadow of the tall, imposing figure of his father, listening as intently as he could on how to keep the lens clean, how the clockwork automation functioned, how it was powered by the generator in the building beside it. Sora had always been intimidated during those times, both by his father and the large, egg-shaped glass structure with the rippling surface that so distorted his reflection when he looked into it.

But the light it made…nothing compared to it. They'd been told that more modern lighthouses didn't require the lenses at all and were much more efficient, but Sora had grown fond of what they had. It was something he had missed, the distant hum of power, the deep, groaning shifts in the workings that were like muffled sighs each time the lens changed direction, illuminating another thick swath of darkness. It had been hard to sleep at night, those first few weeks away from home, without the murmurs of the lighthouse around him.

Yes, he had missed it…it, and other things.

Abruptly, Sora found himself at the front door of their home, the base of the towering lighthouse thicker than the top. Two annexes on either side led to other structures, one the thick-built, squat structure that housed the generator, the other an expansion of the original keeper's house, made for a family, the western windows facing the glistening expanse of the ocean and the distant, emerald-tinted rise of Destiny Islands.

Sora suppressed a shiver, remembering how he had slipped out of his window that night, somehow navigating the dangerous rocks, slipping down to their small dock nestled between the shoals. Being home made it seem suddenly close again, as if it had happened yesterday, instead of two years ago. It didn't _feel_ like it had been years, but then, he had slept through half of it. Otherwise, the time had flown, rushing from one world to the next, fighting enemy after enemy, meeting new friends, seeing new sights, adventure upon adventure, all of it unlike anything he had ever dreamed. It _was _like a dream, now so far out of reach.

Had he really gone to those places? Had he really almost lost Riku, and Kairi, too? Had he really seen the place where all hearts were born, and walked through the darkness on the other side of light?

Without really thinking about it, Sora called the Keyblade to his hand, wrist drooping only momentarily under the familiar, familiar weight. It was reassuring, seeing the gold and silver metal flash in the waning sunlight. He held it up above his head, the warm, heavy breeze coming in from the ocean tugging at the sleeve his jacket.

"It _was_ real…," Sora said aloud, a faint smile on his face. "It was…"

Taking a deep breath, he dismissed the Keyblade, turning back to the door and it's gleaming silver knocker, shaped like a seagull with its wings forming the ring. He could remember trying to jump up and grab it when he was a little kid, absolutely convinced that if he could hold the wings he would be able to fly. There were so many memories here…maybe even more than the memories that the Keyblade held. It was a daunting thing to realize and Sora swallowed, suddenly patting as much of the sand and grit from his clothes as he could, a nervous hand trying to tame his hair.

What would she _think_ when she saw him? His clothes were weird, he was wet, dirty, and his hair looked like a nest. He hadn't been eating too well, there were scars on his arms and legs, calluses on his hands, his hair hadn't been properly cut in years, he had that rash on his ankle…

"…Sora?"

…_oh…oh crap…_

While Sora had been standing there fidgeting, his mother had opened the door. She looked…a lot like he remembered. Short, slender, hair the color of rich, dampened wood, though he swallowed hard when he realized that there were little slivers of gray now woven through it. The equally rich brown of her eyes hadn't changed, either, but crow's feet now touched at the corners of them, the laugh lives around her mouth joined by the traces of a deep, perpetuating frown. She was dressed in the same mix of stylish and weather-worn as always, softly-colored sundress over rugged capri jeans, durable sandals on her feet. She had a knitted tote bag in one hand, a list in the other.

Sora nearly laughed out loud when he realized that she had been going out to go shopping. Such a _normal_ thing…he was overcome, just seeing his mom going out for groceries. Something in him welled up, and Sora started to raise his arms…

And then she slapped him.

It was true that Sora had been hit a lot harder by things that had been a lot bigger. But this was far different than being nearly run over by an Assault Rider or thrown across the room by a Dancer. Sora slowly turned his head back, staring with stunned eyes, a slow hand rising to his cheek.

"M…Mom…I…"

"How _could _you?" It wasn't a yell. His mother hardly ever yelled. But the intensity with which she whispered cut straight into Sora's heart. "How could you, Sora…?"

Sora had told himself that he was going to stay reasonably calm and explain everything. He would smile and laugh and be happy to be home. Yet his expression cracked a little, swallowing again against a sudden lump in this throat. "I-I didn't…mean…"

She suddenly surged forward, bag and list forgotten, flinging her arms around his shoulders, and it was hard for him to keep from choking as he felt wetness against his neck. "You were gone…everyone thought you were dead…and then we _forgot_…"

Sora shuddered. That…he remembered Kairi telling him about that. He abruptly realized, with his sobbing mother clinging to him as if afraid he would suddenly disappear, something he had long been missing. He lifted his hands to grasp her shoulders, breathing shakily as he felt them tremble.

"Mom, I…"

His voice. Something else that had changed. His mother had lost two years of her son's life…two years she was supposed to be there for. How could that have made her feel…? Especially when, one day, she simply stopped knowing that she had a child? Then, a year later, to remember…

Sora's eyes clenched shut. "Mom, I'm _sorry_. I…I had to go away. I had…something I had to do…I didn't want to…leave…"

Oh, but he had, he had. Guilt rose in Sora, remembering their childish dreams of setting out on their own, Riku's words on that dark night. Had visiting other worlds really meant so much that it didn't matter if he caused this kind of grief…? Older now, wiser, Sora knew the painful answer to that question. But in the end…there really had been no choice. Once it had begun, there had been no turning back.

Riku had been right about that, as he had been about a lot of things.

"What?" His mother demanded, pulling back enough to look him in the face, hands closed around his upper arms. He could see how her eyes traveled over him, taking in all the changes. "Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why…_how _could we forget you? All…all your pictures were still on the walls! But we didn't _remember_…it was as though they weren't even there…!"

Sora couldn't stop his eyes from clenching briefly, a rush of regret choking off his words. He had done good for the worlds, he knew. Saved them twice over, saved his friends and their homes. But he hadn't meant…he'd _never_ meant for it to hurt here, back home. He couldn't help but wonder just how much damage had been done in the place they had strove for so long to return to. Leaving his mother here, all alone…and Riku's grandparents! They lived away from the town, just like Sora's family did. They'd _needed _Riku. And Kairi's father…adoptive or not, how had the mayor coped when his only daughter had gone missing? Twice?

"I…I…"

_I didn't mean to hurt you._

"Nami? Is something wrong? I thought you…were…"

Sora's eyes went wide, wider. His head jerked up, gaze lifting—not as far, but then, he was taller now—to rest on the imposing face of his father. Spiky black hair cut ruthlessly short, eyes that mirrored Sora's own looking back at him, just as shocked. It was only distantly that Sora noted that his father wasn't wearing the prim white naval uniform that was his usual attire. It seemed terribly odd to see him without it, though his storm gray shirt had the crest of an arched ship's prow framed by rising waves and gull's wings; military casual wear. He too bore signs of age, frown lines deeper, brow heavier, though his eyes were as piercing as ever, the only sign of gray in the trim beard that graced his chin. His arms were still corded with muscle, hands broad and scarred.

It was a jarring thought to realize that, while Sora wasn't nearly as built as his father, his hands were just as strong, just as marked.

The silence lingered for several long moments, sea birds returning to their nests causing shadows to dance over them as they stood on the doorstep of the lighthouse, the sun sinking further in the west, painting the sea full of fire. In the fading light, the interior of their home grew more visible, the foyer where they greeted guests just as old-fashioned as ever, floors of polished pine from further inland, whiles white and littered with well-spaced decorations. The pictures of himself, from birth to his disappearance, paintings, potted plants…and medals.

Some were old, so tarnished that the fine engravings were all but invisible, worn down to mere nubs by the countless brushes of children, and children's children. His family had been part of the navy for generations upon generations, some keepers of this lighthouse, others not. But in every lifetime another medal or certificate would come to grace the wall, to be marveled over by the next boy or girl, too short to reach it but always striving up towards the gleaming pieces with small hands.

Sora had, too, when he was small. And then he had reached for the stars. But the two weren't that different…not that different at all.

Suddenly, he knew what to say.

Already half turned, his mother murmured in that full, trembling voice that was so much more intent than any shout. "R…Roka. It's Sora…he came home…_he came home_…"

For a moment, he was afraid that his father would slap him, too. Or hit him. It would probably hurt a lot more, but the expected blow didn't come. Astonished, Sora watched as his father bent, scooping him and his mother up at the same time, the scruff of his beard tickling against his cheek. It was a fight to keep his jaw from dropping, unused to such affection from the imperturbable figure of the navy's finest captain.

"My boy…," his father rumbled in his deep baritone, the voice that had sent Sora scrambling for cover every time he had broken a dish or tracked mud all over the house. The tone of it now, however, was one he hadn't heard since his father had spotted his small self, reaching and reaching for the glittering stars hung on the walls. "My little boy…"

His mother was holding him again as well, shaking, yet with a grip so strong that Sora somehow knew neither of them would let go of him again. He marveled that they had let go of him at all in the first place, but as he thought about it, his eyes rested on the nearest circle of metal, a dull silver on a crimson ribbon set inside its case. It was a reminder of the years his grandfather had given to a service for the people and, looking at it, he realized that letting him go was something that they would have done, anyway. He just…should have given them some advance warning.

"M…Mom, Dad…? I'm…sorry I made you worry. I'm sorry I went away. I'm sorry that…you had to forget about me for a little while. But…"

Sora gently eased himself away from them, that oh so familiar smile on his face, wide and bright and framed on either side by the small trails of tears. When they had started, he didn't know, but they didn't feel out of place.

Nothing felt out of place anymore. Not here. It was going to be a long, uphill road now that he was home, but those were the only roads that Sora traveled.

"I became a hero."


	4. Picture

**AN: **It's now Kairi's turn to go home. There's a little more 'normality' in this chapter, with hints to future difficulties and plot points. As part of the set up in the next couple chapters, I'll be introducing bit by bit the world that the trio comes from. I'm trying to keep a mix of reality and fantasy when it comes to how things work; for example, the technological level is close to ours, but missing key things (like, say, advanced computers, considering Sora's reaction to Ansem's database) and other things replaced (airships instead of airplanes).

The world will slowly unfold as the chapters continue, so here's hoping everything works out.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Three: Picture**

"I'm sorry…I didn't believe you, Kairi."

His words were something Kairi hadn't been expecting. After making her way hastily through town—she suspected she hadn't gotten as many stares as Sora and Riku would have, considering she hadn't been gone as long and no one had forgotten her—there had still been quite a lot of people attempting to stop her on the street. She was the mayor's daughter, after all. The biggest political figure in their little corner of the world, living alone in his grand house in the middle of the western suburbs…how could her disappearance _not _make headlines? There were just some things that the public cared more about, even if they had entirely forgotten one of their own for a year, then suddenly remembered him again. What was that, really, in the face of conspiracy and scandal?

The knot in her stomach had only grown as she had approached the house, not having to worry about finding someone to open the gate for her. It was wide open, giving the movers free rein to work. One in particular was a boy she knew, eyes wide as she spotted Wakka, looking more than strange in his overalls and lopsided hat. But then…two years, two years. He was seventeen now. Old enough to have a part time job, at the very least…

The knot clenched again. A job. Another year and she would…and Riku, too! How would he? How _could_ he? They'd all worked so hard already…but it was only sensible! They were home, they had…lives ahead of them…

The enormity of it caused her to stop, one hand on the wall beside the gate, the other one clenching over her heart. Why hadn't she thought about this before? She knew why. She knew, but it was something that they hadn't been able to help. If they hadn't done what they had, there wouldn't have been a future for anyone at all. This was supposed to be joy, being home. They would do it, and just be…normal again.

So why did it feel so strange?

"…Kairi? Kairi!"

Kairi blinked free of her thoughts, standing still as Wakka spotted her and rushed over, whooping with a big smile on his face. "It IS you! When did you get back? How? You're gonna tell us, ya?"

Kairi couldn't help a small smile, slowly strengthening. Now wasn't the time to panic. It wasn't. "You bet we will. Selphie already made us promise to tell her the whole story whenever we have time."

"…us?"

The smile broadened a little more. "Yes! Me, Sora, and Riku."

"…you're kidding!" Wakka's expression brightened all the more and he scooped Kairi up into a surprisingly strong hug. He was a lot taller than she remembered and it couldn't have been more than six months! She'd spent most of the last year here, watching their friends grow, so why would it seem like so much more time had passed? "That's great! We've all been so worried! And your dad…"

Wakka trailed off at that, smile fading as he put her back down. Kairi almost didn't need to ask, already knowing, but she did anyway. "Someone else…ran against him, didn't they?"

Eyes turning away, her friend nodded, taking off his cap and running a nervous hand through his wild hair. "Ya. He hadn't…been doin' so good. For you to…go away like that, twice…it wasn't like he lost it! It was just…hard. The town thought it would be better if…someone else…"

Kairi lifted a hand, sparing him the difficult task of finishing. As it was, it was hard for her to speak. She knew she had to, just like she knew there were a lot of things that she had to do now. "I…I understand. It wasn't that long ago, was it? For him to be…moving out now."

Wakka nodded. "Just a couple weeks. He already has some place else to stay…," the older boy looked almost sheepishly at the ground. "Not that I was snoopin'! We got an address to take everything to…"

Which meant that Kairi probably only had so much time to talk to her father alone.

"I see," she smiled again, giving Wakka a hug of her own. "I don't want to get you in trouble. I'm getting enough stares as it is, so you shouldn't have to put up with it, too."

Wakka got a determined set to his jaw, hands on his hips. "If I wanna put up wit' it, I'll put up wit' it. You're our friend, _my _friend, ya? It's what friends do."

…_I knew he would say that._

Her smile broadened, real this time. "I'll remember that. We'll get together with everyone real soon."

"Good!" Wakka said with a nod and a grin and shoved playfully against her back, shooing her towards the house. "Your dad should be in the office. Go, go!"

Kairi couldn't help a laugh as she did as he said, starting to jog again and going up the wide steps to the front door. It was a huge building—huge by this area's standards, anyway, a towering four floors—but it served as more than just a living place. Public offices were contained within, for the current mayor of this area and those that worked closest with him. There was an auditorium near the back, supply rooms, media rooms, and even a large ballroom planned for the most recent addition. But, above it all, were the living quarters of the mayor and his family. It was easy for her to remember where her room was, the view of the town from the high, clear window. Kairi looked up, spotting the corner bedroom on the top floor.

The curtains were closed. As a rule, Kairi always had them open. _Always._ After all…

She could see the lighthouse from it. The lighthouse, and the old inn that bordered the forest.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Kairi walked the rest of the way up the stairs, hand closing around the old, ornate handles of the door and pushing her way inside. Immediately, she was struck by how _empty _it was. The ground floor furniture hadn't changed at all, but the touch that had been her and her father's was gone. An extra bouquet of flowers, pictures drawn and donated by the local elementary schools, some new band droning a harmonic cacophony in the distance as they tuned up in the auditorium at the back. Not even the hustle and bustle of the daily political life, everything apparently on hold as the head of it all was switched out.

Kairi had to suppress a shiver. The office, Wakka had said. Dodging a few of the other movers—all of whom would pause to stare at her, whispers starting up as soon as they thought she was out of hearing—Kairi slipped inside a nondescript-looking door behind the grand staircase. This place, too, was barren, everything so _orderly_ that Kairi could only stare, standing half-in the doorway. All the papers that were usually scattered about in her father's haphazard filing method were gone. The shelves were clean and clear of dust and volume upon volume of various books. The desk was laid bare, even the ancient, green-domed lamp tucked into a box beside it. The only things that remained were three picture frames, usually the only items that maintained a steady order, always perfectly straight and within view of the desk occupant.

She knew what they were of. Two, only of her. One of when she was small, a piece of watermelon in her hands, seeds and tiny chunks of fruit spread all over her cheeks. The other of her when she had first entered junior high, looking embarrassed but terribly pleased in her 'big girl' uniform. The last was of her and her father together, not too long before the storm on Destiny Islands, sharing some ice cream at one of the many festivals the island held.

Seeing them in her memory, Kairi would have rushed to look at them again, but a form was hunched behind the desk, bumps and grumbles signifying that they were currently occupied looking for something under it. Kairi's throat seized up, words lost for a moment. She didn't have to call out, didn't have to ask. She would know him and she _did_ and always would, ever since waking up scared and alone and far from home, with strangers all around her. Out of the sea of faces that had surrounded her hospital bed—doctors marveling that she was still alive after her 'fall' from an airship, incredulous reporters that wanted to hear the _real_ story—there had been one calm area, a kind smile and even kinder eyes watching her with concern.

"…Daddy?"

Kairi jumped the same time her dad did, though she wasn't the one to slam the back of his head into the bottom of the desk. Eyes widening, Kairi rushed around to grab his shoulders and haul him out. He looked exactly like she remembered him. Rumpled, serviceable suit, equally rumpled blond hair the color of musty hay, eyes the dark gray of storm clouds. He wasn't big or built by any means, features pleasant without standing out, of medium height and average athletic ability. He probably would have been able to blend into the crowd without evening trying if it hadn't been for the personality that shown whenever he opened his mouth and spoke at length about the things that mattered to him. It was why he had a life in politics, after all.

However, there were times when he wasn't arresting and convincing with his mouth open. Like now, jaw sagging, stock still with a hand still covering his abused head. He had what looked like a squeaky toy in the other hand, a favorite of their dog, Asphalt. The mutt had been so lovingly named such by her dad because if they hadn't stopped their car, the hyperactive poof of fur that Kairi could carry around in her backpack likely would have become one with the road.

It was so the picture of her father that Kairi smiled.

In the meantime, the man had scrambled to his feet, Kairi standing with him, staring at her with wide, wide eyes before enveloping her in one of his famous bear hugs, spinning around.

"You're back! Kairi, god…thank _god_!" At a loss for any other words than those, he only hugged her tighter, the rubber bone making an affronted 'squeak!' from against her back. "I…I was _so worried_…especially…after everything you said."

Kairi closed her eyes. Of all the people on the islands, there was only one person she could never lie to. So she had told him the truth. When he hadn't…

…_it's alright. How could he? It was…so impossible…_

But he shocked her, as he had a way of doing from time to time, voice softening as a hand in her hair pressed her close to his chest. His words rumbled against her cheek, the steady beat of his heart clear to her ears.

"I'm sorry…I didn't believe you, Kairi. I do now…I _do_. You wouldn't…run off, not unless it was important."

There was only so much Kairi could say in response to that. It had been hard…so hard, those few weeks after returning home. There had been a wealth of terrible, life-changing knowledge within her, and no one with whom to share it. She hadn't been able to bear telling Sora's parents, or Riku's grandparents. And who else could she have told? She'd considered telling Selphie and the others, but it hadn't been their battle, their burden. The secret was an unbearable weight on her shoulders, but what good would the knowledge have done if Sora and Riku hadn't…hadn't come home? It was a desolate prospect to think of, so she had kept her mouth shut, feigning forgetfulness time and again to anyone who would ask. Eventually, it had cease to matter, as the entire populace had one day simply…forgotten that Sora had ever existed. As a result, Riku's disappearance had seemed to matter less, and Kairi was left with the feeling that _something _was missing, leaving her with a loneliness that had kept her awake at nights.

Before all that…before it, she had told her father. And he hadn't believed her. Except now…

Kairi choked, a relief so intense that it took her breath away rushing through her, she fiercely hugged him in return. The floodgates burst, Kairi sobbing and hiccuping as she clung to her father, fingers curled in the familiar material of his suit jacket, comforting hands on her back soothing her as he had when she had been a child. She had been strong up to this point, facing the darkness and the danger with defiance and determination, but it wasn't possible for a person to be brave all the time. She knew she shouldn't _have _to be, and she took comfort in being held again, being safe at home, where she belonged. It wouldn't last, she knew. She had no idea what job her father had now, or where they would be living, or even how people would treat her, not knowing where she had been. The truth was something that was still best kept hidden, but what others could come up to explain her absence could be far, far more cruel.

"Thank you…," Kairi murmured when she found her voice again. When her father had picked her up again, she didn't know, but she snuggled into his embrace. "Thank you so much…"

She had the feeling that cruelty would not be her only difficulty, however. As Kairi opened her eyes slightly, a hand lifting to wipe at her tears, she spotted the three pictures on the desk. One of her when she was young, one of sharing ice cream with her father…

And one of a woman that she did not know.


	5. Window

**AN: **Last chapter for the week. I like updating day by day—especially since these chapters are short and easy to write—but the weekend I like to reserve for other things. Updating will resume on Monday and I hope to keep up this schedule until such time as I purchase FFXI. Then…well, I hear that takes a lot of time. In any case, this is the longest chapter so far and the last of the 'coming home' kind of stories. The cogs of normal life will begin to soon turn. There might actually be some humor again!

As an aside, this chapter was brought to you by the _Disney's Greatest Hits _CD, volume one. Also, a King's Crown is a type of seashell. Very pretty, in my opinion.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Four: Window**

It was dark when Riku reached the hulking form of the King's Crown Inn. It wasn't multiple floors like the mayor's house, but it sprawled, extensions reaching back and up into the rich jungle behind it, the architecture the practiced 'island' look that appealed to so many tourists. Multiple peaked, thatched roofs held up by columns of wood, allowing guests to saunter through an expansive foyer area, the pool and party deck roped off by simplistic fences that often needed security to watch them to keep people from sneaking in. Go in far enough, and the front door of the actual Inn would greet you, functional walls hidden behind a façade of dried plant life, the floors all of hardwood with decorative columns covered in carvings waiting beyond it. The rooms themselves were more standard issue, though his grandparents had put much effort in making each one individualized, giving it a theme and a name.

Fondly, Riku recalled how he, Sora, and Kairi had been called in to paint the 'Sand Box' room, his grandfather cunningly laying a sheet of plastic on the floor, given them buckets of paint, and let them have their way with the walls. The result had been a cheerful, chaotic mural of splashes and whorls and handprints, the delight of any child who chose to spend their vacation there. Similarly, young couples went out of their way to request the 'Starlit' room, painstakingly painted and decorated by his grandmother to resemble a jungle at night, the ceiling bearing a deep, indigo sky awash with stars and the full, pregnant disk of the moon.

Such detail was present throughout every room, no matter how cheap or expensive. The King's Crown had never been like the bustling hotels in the main city, but here, on the Western side of the island, it was all anyone ever needed. It was true that more often than not they would be a little behind each month, but Riku's grandparents always found a way to get around it. Since he had been a stone-faced little boy, led quietly to his new room after the accident, something about the place had calmed him. Each room a new adventure, every flower and carving and spot of paint something to help him forget the thick smell of smoke and the darkness that had stood between him and the screams that still haunted him in his nightmares.

Stopping at the door, Riku shook his head, eyes shut for a moment. That was a long time ago, too long to let it cling to him again. He supposed he could blame his actions that stormy night and afterwards on what happened then, but he knew he only had himself to blame. He'd gotten selfish. Selfish, and scared. It had started when he had first seen the Destiny Islands Keyhole and it had only grown each time he was reminded that he was something that Sora and Kairi were not. The process had been slow, but gradually he had stopped looking to each new painting, each new or renovated room for his next adventure. Even as he helped decorate them, spent days working careful hands over a carving of some elegant bird or scrutinized the colors of dappled sea foam as he painted, his mind would be elsewhere, to things no one had never dreamed of.

When the time had come, he decided to let the darkness be his protector again and forgot about peace he had found with his grandparents in their own little pocket of dreams.

"But it was different," Riku said aloud, voice low and eyes darkened. "What the Heartless had wasn't the same as being shoved in a laundry chute to escape a fire."

It sounded stupid saying it, but it wasn't as though he hadn't realized a while ago how stupid he had been. And dwelling on it served him no good right now, anyway. He had a home to go back to. Eyes lifting again, he took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever might come. Distantly, he noticed that the ropes on either side had been replaced by sturdy-looking fences. Slats of wood made to resemble the architecture around them, but high enough to keep people out even while still giving an appealing view of the pool and deck. Riku was surprised by this, wondering how his grandparents could have afforded that even as he stepped inside.

His surprise only grew. He was forced to step carefully, avoiding the open areas of the floor where the old wood paneling was being torn up and replaced. The front desk was different, too; still sporting the 'island' look but now with a gleaming granite counter. The columns looked freshly polished, the renovated dining hall through the double doors on the right with furniture and a sleek, glass-fronted buffet line appearing to be brand new. Previously, it had been entirely closed in on three sides, but now the whole dining area was walled by huge windows, giving the tables a spectacular view of the town nestled at the bottom of the hill and the ocean beyond it. To his left, down the hallways that branched out into the rooms, he could see that the floors there were being redone as well, many doors wide open so that they could receive the same treatment.

Riku was left stunned and speechless at the spectacle, a hand braced on the new top of the front desk, trying to get his thoughts in order. _Where _had his grandparents gotten the funds for all this? How? Absurdly, Riku wondered if they'd taken out Heartless to build up Munny, but he abruptly remembered that the currency on his world was Gil, not the colorful, rounded cubes that his enemies had inexplicably dropped. And this…it represented thousands, much, much more than his family could ever afford.

_What…**happened **while I was gone?_

Seized by something that was almost panic, closing around his heart and not letting go, Riku broke out into a run, sprinting headlong down the hallway that he knew led to the place he and his grandparents had always called home. It was away from the main rooms, tucked between the kitchens—so his grandmother could always flit over there should their own small kitchen come up short—and the private back deck—since his grandfather always liked to have a little bit of the jungle to himself—that was just the right size to accommodate their small family. Made up of a master bedroom, a 'living room' that opened up to the deck, two private bathrooms, the dining room and kitchen, and an office where they could concentrate on the management of the Inn, it was there that Riku thought of as 'home'. The couch and chairs decorated with knitted blankets and throw pillows. The pictures and commemorative plates of old-time movie stars that decorated the walls, their ancient TV set and the fish tank that glittered and rippled with tropical fish and invertebrates that they had collected from tidal pools. The huge bedroom in warm, muted colors that always smelled of a heady mix of the teak oil his grandfather used while carving and his grandmother's subtle lily perfume. And his room, the paint-splattered corner that housed his beaten desk and art tools, the too-big bed with mussed sheets, bookshelves and posters set against the walls, shelves of nets and fishing equipment and tanks with whatever new sea life he saw fit to bring home.

_That_…that was home. And when Riku reached the last door—after sprinting up stairs and inclines, the Inn spreading up over onto the crest of the hill that became a mountain, their rooms at the very top—he was driven to his knees by what he saw.

…_it…_

The rooms were empty. The furniture that he had sat and slept and played on had all been removed. The floors were clean swept, the windows without curtains. The walls had been repainted, now stark white, clear of wallpaper or any past stain, any memory of what had been. There was only the smell of paint and flat air, any lingering scents of wood or cooking or oil or perfume wiped away.

…_it's all…gone…_

Dumbly, Riku stumbled back to his feet, walking blindly towards the bedrooms, refusing to look when he passed his grandparent's door. It was wide open, gaping and exposed, and he only had to smell the acrid scent of the topcoat paint to know that it was empty, too. A few steps later and he stood in the doorway of his own room, eyes wide, desolate, as he took in the barren floor and naked walls, the wide window with its balcony holding nothing more familiar than its stunning, utterly meaningless view of the town at the bottom of the hill. The paint was fresh here, too.

**_Gone._**

Riku hadn't cried since he was a little boy. And even now, there were no tears in him. He wasn't the kind of person to find solace in tears. But that didn't mean he was without sorrow. His legs failed him again, hands clutching desperately at his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin, as his face contorted with grief. Inarticulate cries rose up in his throat, choking him, eyes tight against the terrible burning, shaking so violently that he nearly toppled the rest of the way to the floor. To weep would have been a blessing, an outlet for the suffocating tide of crushing loss that closed around his heart. But he couldn't…he couldn't, no matter how much pain there was from coming home only to realize that home didn't exist anymore. So instead he huddled there, a despair so poignant that he thought it might kill him knifing through him with every strangled breath.

"…_Riku_?"

Without even thinking about it, Riku reacted purely on instinct, lurching to his feet and spinning around, pulling back a preparatory fist. He wasn't sure what made him keep from summoning his Keyblade, but it was a good thing, since it made it so that his 'assailant' could hastily grab Riku's wrist with just enough strength to hold him back.

"Riku, Riku! Calm down!"

It took him several seconds to do so, Riku straining against whoever held him, though he wasn't giving it everything he had. As angry and hurt as he was, there was still restraint in him and eventually Riku's shoulders slumped, the person in front of him letting go of his arm. Riku recognized him and, as he did, he slowly began to realize what had probably happened. Unlike the old days, when he would have given into a blind cloud of anger, he instead lifted a hand to his eyes, suddenly very, very tired.

"Mr. Tuesti," Riku began, voice slightly hoarse from his outburst, an outburst that had probably been seen by the handsome man in the fine blue suit. He was taller than Riku, with slicked back hair in a deep, rich brown, a neatly trimmed beard on his chin. "What…happened here? Where are my grandparents…?"

To his credit, Reeve Tuesti didn't look _too _surprised. Though shocked out of his mind to see Riku, he quickly hid it, aware that on his way to the Inn the boy had probably had to deal with much of the same. After all, the entire town had believed he had run away from home, never to come back. The assumption had always been that he was a terribly troubled youth, never to come of any good. After all, he'd run away from his parents during that fire, so why wouldn't he run away from his grandparents when the opportunity presented itself? Yet somehow…Reeve didn't believe any of that, seeing the weary, heartbroken teen in front of him. He'd thought someone had been dying up here, and he had rushed to see for himself, only to find Riku, looking as though someone had just murdered his family.

And really, for all Riku knew, that was what had happened.

"They…they moved to the main city after…selling the King's Crown."

"They _sold _it?" Riku repeated in a stunned whisper. There was no way…no way they would _ever_ do such a thing! The Inn had been their…their everything! Even moving to the city on the other side of the mountains seemed more believable than actually _selling_ this place. The irrational anger blossomed in Riku's chest again, and he fought it back as best he could, though he really couldn't help but remember how he had first met Reeve. A businessman from the main city, he'd been as excited as a little kid to explore all the rooms, asking time and again to be taken on a tour of the facilities, marveling over the location and the landscaping and the architecture and whatever else. Thinking about it now, Riku wasn't quite so willing to hold back _all _of his anger, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he looked at the man again. "Or did you make them an offer they couldn't refuse?"

Reeve's eyes widened in surprise at that, lifting his hands in defense. "No, nothing like that! They put it on the market themselves. There was a lot of competition for this location, but your grandparents sold it to me even though there were several higher bids."

…_of course. We've had would-be investors snoop around here before. This one…was the only one who seemed to like the place for what it was, instead of what he could make it into._

The sinking feeling in the pit of Riku's stomach threatened to make him physically ill. He somehow already knew the answer he was going to get, but he had to know for sure. He _had _to.

"Why…did they choose to sell?"

Reeve's brows furrowed and, even as he looked away, the floor seemed to drop out from under Riku. "They said…the Inn was meant for their grandchildren. So, after…you…"

_Two years._

Reeve trailed off and Riku turned violently away, a hand over his face again, as if to hide. But if he was trying to hide from the man with the pity in his eyes or himself, Riku wasn't sure. Irrationally, he longed for his blindfold again. He didn't want to have to look in the mirror and face what he knew he would find there.

_Two years was too long to wait, even for them._

Stupid, _stupid_! How stupid he had been! He'd swept aside the matter of 'parents', simply because he believed he had none. And he hadn't, according to everyone else on the island. His grandparents were different, but not so different that he could assume they'd be waiting here with whatever appropriate punishment there was for being so selfish as to think he could dive into the unknown without any consideration of what would happen.

In the way, they _had _punished him. He had no home now, and it was all his fault. What a proud adventurer he was, standing in the empty remains of the home he had so callously left behind.

Fitting.

_How am I going to face everyone?_

_"Like this!"_

Riku was suddenly blinded by a bright, bright blue light, shining directly into his eyes, beams of it sliding through his fingers. For a moment, he was startled, nearly leaping back, only to realize what it really was: the lighthouse. From the first, his window had always had a perfect view of the bay and, as a result, the lighthouse. The striking white structure was some distance away, all the way down the hill and across town, tucked up against the beach, but by some trick of fate it shone directly into his room as it rotated. That was why, way back when, this former suite had been turned into living quarters. Guests had complained that the light had kept them up at night.

What fools they had been. And what a fool Riku was being. Slowly, slowly, his shaking abated. He stood straight again, carefully wiping his eyes and smoothing back his hair. He figured he should have pulled his pants up a bit—he'd been slouching an awful lot lately—but he was already turning to face Reeve.

"…Mr. Tuesti. I would like to rent this suite."

Reeve's eyes widened again, the man sputtering uncharacteristically. "W-_What_? But Riku, everything's already been moved out! There's no food in the kitchen, the water's been turned off in this wing, the walls are scheduled to be knocked down to make a storage area—"

Riku only held up a hand. Then, he lowered it again, pulling two rings from his fingers. They'd been gifts from Sora. No, not the sentimental kind of gifts. They'd been needed at the time to help him to survive wave after wave of Nobodies and then Xemnas directly after. He handed them to a stunned Reeve, voice even, decided.

Once he realized there was no point in giving in when he had work to do, it really was an easy thing.

"The blue ring is pure mythril, the other orichalcum," Riku couldn't help a small smile as Reeve's jaw dropped, eyes widening dramatically. "That should be enough for the rent for a couple months, right? And to make up for the money paid to the contractors?"

"M…more than enough!" Reeve managed to choke out after a moment, obviously doing rapid calculations in his head. "You'll…have several hundred left over, if you rent the rooms for a year, adding in any additional bills…"

"Good," Riku replied with a nod. "I'll be having furniture put up in at least two of the rooms. Oh, and could you get this changed into Gil for me?"

Riku removed the last ring from his fingers, simple gold this time, but still of some value. Reeve nodded again, looking like his eyes were going to pop out of his head, and Riku felt his smile broaden. "And are there any rooms I can stay in for tonight?" Another surprised nod. "Great. And…ah…"

His eyes lowered, a hand running nervously through his hair. He knew it was something he had to do, but Riku hesitated. What would his grandparents think or say when they found out he was back? Would they be angry, would they blame him, would they…?

Riku stopped his train of thought, turning slightly, looking back out the window through which the familiar light shone. Then, he stood straight a second time, shoulders squared with determination. Even though he knew that Sora was several miles away, probably already asleep in the lighthouse, Riku could had sworn he felt his friend's hand on his shoulder.

"I'd like to call my grandparents, if you have the number. I have a lot I need to tell them."


	6. Forgotten

**AN: **Happy Tuesday to you all. This chapter would have been posted yesterday, but it seems this website was having problems. But late is better than never, no? From this point on, though the chapters will remain in one-shot format, each one will contain elements that, once strung together, will form the plot as a whole. Just don't expect the length to be any more than seven pages; short and sweet works perfectly for me. As an aside, please ignore the pairing now in the summary of this fanfiction. It is completely and utterly untrue. Just an experiment I am conducting.

I appreciate your tolerance. :3 As a second aside, cryosophila albida is the scientific name for the star palm tree. Many thanks to Akai Kitsune for looking it up for me.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Five: Forgotten**

Normal life wasn't supposed to feel so abnormal. Normal life was supposed to be redundant and boring and routine. Predictable and comfortable, it was supposed to march forward at a decidedly moderate pace, with every bump and detour clearly visible from miles away. Each morning was supposed to be nearly indistinguishable from the next, major events and changes so far apart that by the time one passed and the next came, routine had returned during the interim. Not a particularly _exciting _way of life, but one that people in general were supposed to have for the majority of their years.

Understandably, Sora spent a good ten minutes after waking up the next morning wondering just what he was supposed to do with himself. He didn't even know what _month _it was.

"…July," Sora said aloud, reading the calendar on the wall. His memory twinged, telling him there was something about the date that was important, but he couldn't recall it for the life of him. "July first…"

Alright. So he knew the date. Now for the next part. It took a few more moments of thought to figure that one out. Coming to a quick decision, he swung his legs off his bed—pajamas! He'd forgotten he'd _finally_ gotten to wear pajamas again—and got to his feet. Habit made him look around for enemies/wild animals/food, though now he felt silly doing so. Only his room was there to greet him, looking exactly like it did on the night he left, if cleaner. The bed under the window, the model ships hanging from the ceiling, the desk against one wall surrounded by shelves of books, papers, more models, blocky figures, and all manner of things, much more organized than he had ever had it. The opposite wall was mainly covered by tackle and fishing equipment, as well as a dresser and wardrobe for clothes. It felt…_weird_ to not have clothes strewn all over the floor, like he usually had them.

But then, it felt _weird _to be in here at all. Sora really couldn't describe it in the right words, but there was restlessness in him, even just standing there in slightly too-small blue pajamas with moogles on them. Impulsively, he glanced first at his wardrobe, taking a few steps forward and pulling it open, relaxing a few inches at the sight of the familiar outfit he'd worn for the last couple of months. It had taken a lot of maneuvering to keep it with him. He knew his mother meant well, but Sora wasn't really sure what would happen to it if it was thrown in a washing machine. Better safe than sorry, really. On the floor of the wardrobe was a box full of all the items he'd forgotten he'd been carrying. The pockets were magic, after all, just like the rest of the mix of black fabric, belts, buckles, and zippers. Thinking ahead, Sora had removed everything and packed it away as best he could, though what exactly he was going to do with the sparkling jars of Hi-Potions, the soft cubes of Ethers, a couple brightly glowing Elixers, and his last Megalixer, which had been so bright he'd been force to wrap it in socks, otherwise it would've been shining right through the cracks in the box and wardrobe. And Sora had NO idea what he was supposed to do with all the extra synthesis items he had picked up since his final visit to a synthesis shop. Shards, stones, gems, and crystals, all of the Dense and Twilight variety, as well as a few Mythril pieces as well.

Looking at them, heaped inside an old shoebox, Sora had a sudden epiphany.

"Hey…isn't Mythril _worth_ something?"

Realizing that he probably had a fortune in his closet, Sora did the only thing he _could_ do. He took a deep breath, closed the wardrobe, and stepped out of his room, quietly making his way to the bathroom. One _very_ satisfying flush later, he was back in his room. Sora finally noticed that it was, in fact, very early in the morning. The sun had only just risen beyond the mountains, casting Destiny Islands in brilliant relief against a sparkling ocean. That, more than anything, made Sora feel at home, the teen climbing back up onto his bed to rest his elbows on the sill of his window. Maybe he would go there today…if his parents let him.

Sora felt decidedly uncomfortable thinking about it. He'd spent years of his life away from home, acting mainly on his own terms. It was like being a kid again…

_But…I **am** still a kid…aren't I?_

He honestly didn't know the answer. Brows furrowing, eyes troubled, Sora started to scoot back off his bed, only to have his knee come down on a warm bump under his sheets. An instant later, a screaming, flailing bundle of wild calico fur and VERY sharp teeth and claws was latched onto his leg, causing him considerable pain. Sora squawked in surprise and tumbled out of bed, taking the sheets and the creature with him, which, of course, only made it try even harder to murder him.

Sora never panicked. If you asked him, he wasn't panicking. He was faking it. He was faking it so well in fact that he leapt back to his feet, running in wild circles, screaming, doing an odd hop-step motion in an attempt to jerk the cat free of his leg. He deserved an award, really, for being such a great actor, especially when his other foot caught on the edge of the rug in front of his desk, suddenly him tumbling into the oh-so neat stacks of books and magazines.

He was fortunate that his father was up at the top of the lighthouse, his mother outside picking up the milk delivered to their door. The last thing they needed was to hear the dreadful din, after all.

Sora, face-down and half-buried under old issues of _Airship Monthly_ and ship building manuals, saw fit to just lay there for a while. The unholy beast that had been tormenting him unlatched itself from his pant leg—and skin, sadly—padding on delicate feet over to his head, lowering its nose to sniff at his hair. After a moment of deep contemplation, the creature sat down, rested its chin on his ear, and started to purr.

"…good morning to you too, Albida," Sora mumbled grudgingly, though the gruffness really _was _an act. Pushing himself up—the small, slender cat with the patchy fur dragged along, her claws in his shoulder—Sora reached up to pet her, smile genuine. "Sorry to step on you like that."

Albida's only response was to purr, then bite his hand. Sora had to laugh, ruffling her disheveled fur before working to remove her claws from his shirt. He could actually remember quite clearly the day he'd found her, a tiny kitten clinging for dear life to the top of one of the palm trees on Destiny Island. How she'd gotten there, no one had ever been able to figure out, but it was Sora who had been the one to climb up and save her from her precarious perch, only to have her reward him with claw marks up and down his arms and some stitches on his cheek when he'd tried to cuddle her.

It'd been a beautiful, if somewhat painful, relationship since. She was a lot bigger now than he remembered, probably just a little over three years old. Sora had thought she would have forgotten him, but it seemed like some people were impossible to forget.

"…that's what I hope, anyway," Sora murmured, placing Albida in his lap, looking down into the intelligent, pale green eyes. "You didn't forget me, right?"

She didn't answer, of course. Sora didn't like to dwell on what it must have been like to just have everyone _forget_ him. It was probably better that he had slept, rather than dwelled in a world that he suddenly had no place in. What had happened during that year? Had his parents looked into his room and seen only empty space? Had Kairi walked past the lane to the lighthouse without even thinking about him? Did no one question the abandoned little skiff always tied at the dock? Was it really…so easy to forget?

_"Just because you can't remember something doesn't mean it's gone."_

In its usual abrupt, haphazard way, Sora's smile returned and he jumped to his feet, grinning all the wider as Albida screeched with affront, scrambled onto his head and used his hair as a springboard to leap unto the wardrobe. Sora waved happily after her. Then he set about doing something wonderfully 'routine', pulling off his nightshirt as he stepped over to the dresser, discarding his clothing on the floor, just like always. He nearly tripped over the scattered magazines, but eh, he'd pick them up later. Maybe.

Half-naked, he dug through the drawers, making a displeased sound. Everything was folded in orderly rows! How was he supposed to find everything when he knew exactly where it was? Grumbling melodramatically, Sora rummaged around in the drawer, tossing things that seemed too clean over his shoulder, finally settling on a pair of shorts that had been a size too big when his mom had bought them. Those would do! Then just he just grabbed a big enough shirt, letting his pajama bottoms drop and yanking on his shorts in one hard, fell swoop.

That was a mistake. Letting out something close to a squeak, Sora toppled over, hands between his legs. Seemed he had grown a lot more than he realized.

But! He wouldn't let that stop him. He was up and moving again a moment later, forgoing the rest of his clothing for the moment as it occurred to him that he'd ought to make all the ruckus up to his cat. Scampering back to the wardrobe, he flung open the door and dug through the boxes of his things, shoving some of the bottles aside. The Megalixer toppled out onto the floor, rolling across the hardwood and disappearing under his bed, but he was distracted by the sudden success in his hunt.

"A-hah!" Sora shouted triumphantly, standing straight again and dragging his desk chair through the mess so that he could stand on it and reach Albida, who had chosen to hunch as low as she could against the top of the wardrobe. "I brought you back a souvenir girl!"

However, gift or not, Albida didn't seem to appreciate the Petit Ribbon once it was tied in a bow around her neck and made her feelings clear by biting Sora on the nose. Possible bleeding aside, Sora was back on track to getting dressed in no time, tugging a comb through his hair as he pulled on his shirt. Not necessarily the most effective—or painless—way to start the day, but it was _his _way. Sora's way. It was his way to leave his room looking as though a hurricane had torn through it. It was his way to give his cat one last hug before heading out, receiving few more loving scars for his trouble. It was his way to leave his bed in disarray and have only one sock on as he sprinted down the stairs to see what was cooking for breakfast. It was his way to be himself, to be the boy that they had lost, that had gone to fight on shores far distant while the echoes of his voice and the memories of his face faded from their hearts. He would be himself no matter how weird it was to be here after everything, no matter how out-of-place he felt wherever he went and whatever he did.

_Because really…_, he thought as he skidded to a stop in the kitchen, a grin on his face, greeted by the deep, deep relief in his mother's smile.

_They may have forgotten me…but that doesn't mean they ever stopped wanting me to come home._


	7. Sight

**AN: **I bring you another Kairi chapter. The segments will follow the Sora to Kairi to Riku then back to Sora format for a bit longer, until their lives mesh again. Since, after all, they do have to separate now and then. As for my experiment, I remind you that the pairing in the summary of this fanfiction is completely fake. Strictly for testing purposes only.

Notes for this chapter include that Sergius, Felix, and Rufus (is it the Rufus you're thinking about? Maybe.) are all old Roman names, as opposed to Sora and Riku's Japanese names. Why is this? I simply believe that the islands are a mix of cultures, so the names can be any number of things. Once again, thanks go to Akai Kitsune for her help.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Six: Sight**

Kairi supposed that if all their things weren't in boxes she'd feel more at home. The empty house was just that: empty. Oh, it wasn't _unpleasant _by any means. It was a beautiful structure, small and neat and nearly on the beach, only a white picket fence separating it from the wide stretch of sand. The roof was dark red, sun beaten, and the walls white and comfortably aged. Not too large, but not too small, either; three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an office, kitchen, dining room, living room, a basement and an attic. Quite average for the neighborhood, similar to the one next to it and across the lane. Wired for all modern appliances, with as much of a lawn as it could have out front and behind it, a one car garage currently housing her father's maroon truck and more boxes than Kairi could count.

The furniture was already set up inside—thanks to Wakka and the rest of the movers—but it felt so…barren. Kairi had already chosen her room, the one with the windows that faced the sea. If she sat on the end of her bed she could see the islet that was her childhood playground. The sight comforted her, a new sensation that was pleasant, welcome. While the mayor's house has been quite grand, it had never had a view like this.

She supposed it made up for not being able to see the lighthouse. Positioned as this new place was, it was only possible to see the light it cast, not the lighthouse itself. But it was the light that was important, wasn't it? As long as she could see that, then everything would be alright.

_So why…doesn't it feel alright to me?_

Kairi really didn't have the answer and she was a bit too tired to really do more than sit on her bed and think. The boxes that contained her belongings were all against one wall. So far, the only things she'd unpacked were the bedsheets that she'd used last night, her clothes for this morning, and some sandals. Everything else was still out of sight, her dresser and the vanity beside it without ornament. The wall shelves would be put up tomorrow, as well as the posts for her bed, the curtain rods and curtains for the tall windows on the wall opposite her bed, and the mirror for her closet door. She needed to find the lamps for the nightstands, as well as the chair for her desk, which she suspected was probably still out in the garage. That still left clothes to unpack and hang in the closet, books to put away—once the shelves were up, anyway—along with helping her father unpack everything _else _for the house.

Though she knew it wasn't very fair to do so, Kairi was thoroughly tempted to grumble over the state of affairs. She'd just gotten back from the most trying ordeal of her lifetime and now she was stuck doing task after task in an unfamiliar home? She had expected to be able to do…to do enjoyable things! Sleeping in her own bed, being with her friends, spending time on the island, relaxing in the comfort that she had missed. It was supposed to be simpler now, her life her own again, without having to worry so much all the time.

"But life…really isn't that simple, is it?" Kairi grudgingly admitted to the air, then pushed off the bed and went to one of the opened boxes. A few moments of fishing around awarded her a hair tie, which she promptly used to tug her red locks back into a sturdy ponytail.

She had work to do, after all, and she couldn't have her hair getting in the way. There were other factors, however, that weren't as agreeable as her hair.

"Kairi?"

A little surprised, Kairi turned, seeing her father in the doorway, dressed much as she was in serviceable 'work' clothes. "Yes?"

"Your friends are here toOOF!"

Kairi's eyes widened as a rather overzealous pair of boys shoved their way past him, greeting her with excited shouts and a suffocating pair of hugs.

"Kairi! Why didn't you tell me you'd come back?" Tidus demanded once he and Wakka had let her go. "You're as bad as Wakka! He didn't even tell me until this morning!"

"Ya, 'cause then you'd come barging into her house," Wakka remarked sagely, and was rewarded with an indignant shove.

"You don't have to point it out!"

In the meantime, Selphie was currently occupied with apologizing profusely. He may not have been the mayor anymore, but their respect for him lingered. Or hers did, at least. "I'm soooo sorry Mr. Sergius. I told them not to run inside!"

"It's quite alright," the slightly battered man replied, straightening his shirt. Kairi was long used to hearing people speak to him in a respectful manner. Even he close friends did it. The only person she'd ever heard call him by his given name of Felix was his brother, Rufus. "Though you might want to remind them again next time."

"Oh, you bet I will!"

Kairi couldn't help but smile at the whole spectacle, letting things calm down slightly before turning to her friends. "So…what are you all doing here?"  
"Helping!" Tidus proclaimed proudly, hands on his hips. It seemed he'd gotten taller since she'd last seen him, too, but that was to be expected. Tidus was growing at an alarming rate, filling out well due to all the practicing and swimming he did day in and day out. Last she'd heard, his father was pushing him to enter the pro blitzball league and it certainly looked like he might accomplish that. Though if it was for his own sake rather than the wishes of Jecht, Kairi wasn't entirely sure. "Wakka told us about all the stuff you had to unpack, so we came to help out."

Kairi's eyes widened. She couldn't ask them to do that! "Oh no, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Hah!" Selphie countered, shaking a finger at her. "Don't you try that with us. I know Sora and Riku are probably really busy with their own families, so who better to help than us?"

That was a terribly insightful observation and one that Kairi knew she couldn't argue with. Selphie may have seemed pushy at times, but she really was a smart girl. After all, she'd been the one to find them on the island, inexplicably present without any boats to have carried them there. She'd gushed and scolded and yelled and laughed all the way back, not once questioning them on just _how _they'd gotten there, or why they had been gone. Once back in town, she'd refused to answer any questions, probably getting into a lot of trouble once she herself went home.

In the end, Kairi knew that Selphie trusted them. She trusted that they would tell her and the others the truth when they were good and ready to, or never, if the truth was too much for them to bear knowing. Kairi was grateful for that, more so than she could ever express.

"…okay, okay," Kairi relented, hands up to ward off any more hugs. "You can help."  
"Alright!" Tidus whooped triumphantly and he and Wakka herded a bemused but good-natured Mr. Sergius back out the door, no doubt to 'help' him with the boxes in the garage. Selphie remained in the room, and Kairi had to give her a thankful smile.

"…I'm grateful. Really."

"I know," Selphie said with a bright smile, coming over to help her start opening the boxes. "There's some stuff I wanted to tell you, too."

Kairi had suspected that, too. "Like what?"

"You remember just before you left the second time…? The rumors that were going around about Riku's grandparents?"

Kairi did indeed remember. They had troubled her at the time, but she had refused to believe that they were true. After all, Isamu and Chiaki Hayasaka had been the owners and managers of the King's Crown Inn for as long as anyone could recall. They were as much a part of it as it was a part of them, so for there even to be a _hint _of them actually selling it…it just boggled the mind.

But it seemed that some things weren't as impossible as she'd like to believe. Her shoulders slumped a little as she spoke again, voice lowered. "They…sold it, didn't they?"

Selphie nodded, even as she helped Kairi carry the couple boxes of clothing over to the dresser. "A businessman from the city bought it. Mr. Tuesti, I think."

"Ah," was all Kairi could think of to say in reply. If they were gone and the Inn had been bought by someone else, what had Riku found when he'd gone there last night…? "I think…I need to go check on Riku, then."

Surprisingly, Selphie gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "That's the other thing I wanted to tell you! I heard from some contractors that they _were _gonna work on the place where Mr and Mrs Hayasaka used to live, but at the last minute someone rented it!"

Kairi was about to point out that it was probably Wakka who'd overheard people at his workplace talking and told Selphie when she'd met up with him, but she was too busy being astonished at the rest of the news. Did that really mean…? It _had _to be Riku. It was just too much of a coincidence for it not to be. He must have arrived and seen…everything gone. And somehow had the sense and the strength to find the means to keep the place intact. He'd held onto his home. She almost couldn't fathom what it must have been like, though a warmth blossomed in her chest to realize just how far he had come.

_To accomplish so much the day he came home…how can I complain about all the work that **I **have to do?_

With that in mind, it was much, much easier to do what needed to be done. In fact, it got steadily easier as the day went on. Whether it was folding or hanging clothes, sorting the cookery or helping shove the furniture into better positions, hanging pictures and shelves or mixing some lemonade for everyone to share on the back porch, she did them all with a smile. True, some it was hard work and they had only just begun, but the warmth in her heart lingered. Riku may have been across town, busy with his own problems, but the strength he gave her was still present.

…_no. That's not…quite right._

It took Kairi a few more moments to figure it out, but when she looked to her left, towards the corner of the house, around which the lighthouse came into view, it came to her.

_It's not the things that they give me that matter the most. It's that they are there to give them to me, even when they're far away, out of sight._


	8. Adult

**AN: **More errors on the part of this website slowed down updating once again. We continue on, however, despite complications. This chapter is a bit more downhearted than the last two, but then, life isn't always filled with happy times. Also, I have removed the pairing from the summary. I'll compare the last two days with today's update and see what happens.

No real notes for this chapter, except that if you don't think it's believable, just give it a try sometime.

**……………**

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Seven: Adult**

Riku's first three days of living at home and on his own were already fading into a hectic blur. He'd wanted to find the time to see Sora and Kairi again, as well as the friends he had left behind, but it seemed being the master of his own fate took a lot more work than he ever would have thought. That wasn't to say he hadn't been taking care of himself—or at least attempting to do so—before now, but working for Maleficent, traveling a world of darkness, working for Ansem the Wise, and traveling from world to world to help Sora wasn't exactly the same as renting a set of rooms and trying to make them livable. It was not a question of funds; he had plenty of that and he really, really needed to thank Sora the next time he saw him. He technically wouldn't need to get a job for quite a while, but he would, anyway.

There was so much that still needed to be done. And what he _had _accomplished so far hadn't come about very easily. It had been difficult to do a multitude of things and, if it hadn't been for Reeve, Riku was certain he wouldn't have been able to do a lot of them. For one, simply getting and _keeping _Gil had been difficult. Riku had no bank account. As a matter of fact, at seventeen and still legally a minor, he couldn't actually make a bank account without the consent of a parent or guardian. A quick call from his grandparents—the phone call he'd made the night of his return was something Riku was still turning over in his mind, but an issue he couldn't address just yet—had taken care of the consent problem, but the fact that Riku didn't know exactly how to go about making an account had stumped him for a while.

Enter Reeve, who'd probably been tailing Riku the moment he walked into the dining area the morning after and spooked the workers. There'd been a good half-hour of explaining where he had come from—though not in any great detail—what he was doing there, where he was staying, how he was doing, or who he was, depending if the people knew him or not. Staring had become the action of choice and it remained a constant theme wherever Riku went. Wherever he walked and whatever he did, there were always people staring, whether they knew he could see them or not. Meeting up with Reeve at the bank and having him accompany him the rest of the day hadn't helped at all.

Riku's paramount thought had been as follows: _Please don't let anyone think I'm dating him._

Given that he wasn't telling _anyone _where he had been or why he'd been away, Riku suspected that that was one of the explanations people were going to start coming up with. Had the Hayasakas really sold the Inn because they'd no longer been able to maintain it? Or had they felt such shame in their son for selling his body to an older man that they'd left, never to return? Or had they been so happy he'd found true love, even in the most unlikely of places, that they had left the entire business to his husband to be? Or bride to be, maybe. Same sex marriages had one stipulation around these parts: the separate parties had to be labeled traditionally. It seemed the populace didn't mind equality but had serious issues with increased paperwork. From what Riku knew about the mainland, they had quite different views, but that really wasn't his concern.

"Tangent, Riku, tangent," he muttered to himself, currently between grunts from exertion. It seemed moving furniture around one's home all by one's self was a stupid thing to do. Especially late on the third day after working non-stop and getting minimal sleep.

But tired or not, he just felt like he had too much to do and sleeping only wasted time. First had been the bank account, then actually going to a store to buy things to chase away the emptiness in what had been his home. However, never having done anything close to interior decorating in his entire life, Riku had been at a serious loss. Sure, he remembered what everything had looked like, but the pieces had been gathered over time. Every pillow and rug, every picture and shelf, every knickknack and chair, everything was from years and years of living. Everything held a memory, each its own individual piece of his and his grandparents' lives.

How was some sparkly clean and pre-arranged living room or bedroom set supposed to compare to that? It didn't and he'd ended up with things that were mainly plush with hardwood frames, which had only made the various salespeople stare at him more. What, he was too 'young and hip' to buy things that his grandparents would? Riku had rewarded the female clerk—maybe a year older than him—who had said that to him with a deadpan stare, then calmly demanded that she process his purchases. From there it had been a multitude of things he'd never really thought about before but that were now yet more items to add to his list of concerns. Curtains, rugs, bed sheets, pots, pans, dishes, toiletries, a vacuum, a duster, a phone, a microwave, light bulbs, lamps, a broom, a mop, anything and everything that could possibly be used around the home.

He'd barely gotten through half the list on the first day and had spent an exhausted, fitful night in the guestroom Reeve had provided, considering he hadn't actually been able to assemble his bed just yet. And the mattress hadn't been delivered, anyway.

The second day had been much the same, though on a much more detailed level. He'd wanted to wear a change of clothes—considering he'd been wearing the same thing since the battle with Xemnas—but it turned out it hadn't occurred to him to actually buy another pair of pants. Or underwear, for that matter. So a clothing store had been the first stop and yet another battle with sales representatives who seemed to think they knew more about what he should wear than he did. No, he didn't want chains hanging from his pants; that was Sora. No, he didn't want baggy shorts that exposed his underclothes; that was Tidus. No, he didn't think fishnet sleeves would look good on him; that was that scary Lulu girl from school. No, he didn't think putting on a little makeup would bring out his skin tone; that was him punching anyone who suggested that again.

Riku didn't like to admit that he'd become a little…surly as the morning wore on, but it had gotten them off his back, at least. He'd come away with clothing that he liked, similar to what he had chosen to wear before, mainly in shades of blue, white, yellow, and some indigo. Only an idiot wore black all the time while living on a tropical island, but dark clothes came in handy when working in the water. _Then _the warmth was welcome. In any case, having escaped the stores with yet another wave of purchases—considering he had _nothing _besides what he already had on—it'd been a quick stop back at the Inn to take a much-needed shower and change before setting out into town again to pick up the rest of what he needed.

By then word had definitely gone around that he was indeed back from wherever he had gone. A few people Riku knew in passing actually stopped him on the streets to talk, mainly maintaining pleasant chitchat but always bringing up the question of just where Riku had gone and what he'd been doing and why he'd chosen to come back and oh, did you know your grandparents sold the Inn? The surliness from the day before had returned rather quickly and taken care of all but the most stalwart of the curious, though Riku sorely wished they would just leave him alone. He'd managed to run into everyone _but _the people he wanted to see.

What were Sora and Kairi doing? What about Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie? The people he knew from school? Friends, teachers, _anyone_ who would care that he was home for reasons other than curiosity and delight at the chance to spread some gossip? Riku had returned to the islands to feel welcome again, not like some new display in a museum.

So he'd just done his best to ignore them and do what he needed to do. By the end of the second day he had entered the more 'personal' section of his list, picking out things to make the empty rooms feel like a home again. Pictures, posters, plants, books, a television, a radio, a desk, carving tools and painting supplies for his room, even a diverse collection of nets and buckets and tanks of all sizes so he could rebuild the menagerie of sea life he had had before.

_But it doesn't feel the same._

That had been the crux of his problem once the third day had come, hovering at the back of his mind as he slowly and steadily got everything that he had bought into order. It lingered, causing a constant frown, as he put all the kitchen supplies away; as he had shoved the living room into place; as he'd nearly gotten himself crushed under a bookcase; as he had discovered that the mattress was two inches too big for the frame and he would have to reorder it. There was always the feeling that this was just a façade, attempting to hide the gaping hole where his real life used to be.

"There's nothing I can do about it," Riku murmured to himself again as he gave the mattress a last shove, leaving it leaning against the wall next to the door. He'd be able to stay in the rooms tonight, yes, just…on the couch. "There's nothing I can do…"

Saying it didn't make him feel any better and, sighing faintly, Riku trudged to the couch and flopped down onto it, bone tired. Back aching and arms almost numb, it occurred to him that he couldn't quite remember when he'd last eaten something. However, he really couldn't find the gumption to care. The morning would do for breakfast. At the moment, all he wanted was to rest and wonder how he could've been so stupid before. More than anything, he had wanted to get out on his own, to prove he was capable and strong and needed no handouts. That everything he said was meaningful, that he was a leader and a planner and resourceful to a fault. That he could do anything and do it well.

He had wanted to be an adult. Dependable and trustworthy and always right in whatever he did and said.

_But that's not how things work._

Riku knew it was stupid to wish for it, but he did anyway. Now that they were gone, he ached for the years that had come before. He wanted a world where he didn't have to worry about how he was supposed to go about ordering checks and paying bills. He wanted to wake up in the morning and wonder what was for breakfast, not if whether or not he'd bought the food to make breakfast yet. He wanted to be able to leave his clothes in the hamper and have them all cleaned and ready to wear by next week, instead of having to ask the twittering, simpering ladies in the aisles at the grocery store how to use a washing machine. He wanted someone to say goodnight to him as he climbed into his familiar bed and someone there to wake him in the morning.

He wanted to be a kid again. He wanted a life where he didn't have so much on his shoulders. It was lonely, and it was hard, and he couldn't help feeling that he hadn't really come home at all. Home was gone, and this was him—the adult, the planner, the leader—trying to piece together whatever was left of something he had so foolishly left behind.

As an exhausted sleep took him, Riku didn't have the strength to stave off the misery coiling in his chest.


	9. School

**AN: **Long time no see, ne? Many things have been changing. I am now employed, attending school full time, leveling a Monk in various places around Vana'diel, and am constantly fangirling over the likes of _Okami _and _Heroes_. This leaves little time to write, sadly, but I am managing in this suddenly busy and fast-paced world. Writing shall continue, however slow it may be, as it is my first love. Besides, the Tokyo Game Show has ignited my creative spark. :3

As for this chapter, things definitely begin, lives become more complex, and school serves as the catalyst for emotionally trying events. And really, doesn't it always?

**……………**

**Another Day in Paradise**

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Eight: School**

Sora's parents mentioned "IT" exactly eleven days, sixteen hours, five minutes, and thirty-seven seconds after he had come home. The morning was what had become—surprise surprise—routine, with Sora galloping downstairs to wolf down some breakfast, then galloping back upstairs to get some decent clothes on, and then doing any number of things. So far, his days had been filled with a kind of lazy nonchalance, mainly occupying himself with lounging around, enjoying the rumbling sounds of the lighthouse, and digging through his room to find things he had all but forgotten about. So far, he'd found some ship models he'd built when he was ten, about a dozen of Albida's old toys from when she was a kitten, and enough half-gil coins to keep him supplied in canned coffee from the vending machines for a month.

He also went to the beach a lot. His personal skiff was still tied at the tiny dock below the lighthouse. The rocks and shoals made it extremely dangerous for craft to pass through the channel between the main island and the islet, but the little boats that Sora and his friends used had no problem at all. However, even with his boat available, Sora hadn't traveled back to their playground since returning. It just didn't feel…right. In fact, that was another trouble that was starting to sneak up on him more and more as the days went on.

He needed his friends. That part was clear enough. When he just sat down and _thought _about it, Sora hadn't been without someone constantly at his side for the last two years. At least five times now he'd woken up calling out for Donald to re-light the fire or asking where Goofy had wandered off to, since it was too quiet without his snores. It felt good to be home, yes, but that nagging sense of _weirdness _was starting to make a permanent home in the back of his mind.

Sora didn't like that. At all. What good was being home if you weren't comfortable in your own bed? He didn't doubt that he'd get used to it, but considering the fast pace his life had had up to this point, Sora wasn't all that surprised to realize that he didn't have a lot of patience anymore. But that was just something else he would have to relearn, or so he supposed. There seemed to be a lot of learning going on.

Which led back to the inevitable need for school. Staring at his mother over the rise of a cereal-filled spoon, it took conscious effort to remember to close his mouth.

"…_school_?"

Nami nodded, eyes serious. As the days had passed and the realization that yes, her boy was home had settled in, she had slowly shifted back into the role that Sora remembered. That was something, at least. He'd really had no idea how to act when his mom would get that faraway, fragile look in her eyes whenever he came into the room. Parents were…they were supposed to be the strong ones, right? Not so breakable.

It made him feel bad. Bad, and uncomfortable, and unwilling to really address it because he just didn't know _how_. When compared to having his mother look at him that way, hands moving restlessly in meaningless tasks in order to hide their trembling, school didn't really seem so bad.

"Yes, school," his mother began, busy folding a napkin in that particular way that meant business. "I don't know if you remember, but the first day for freshmen at West Beach High School is July 28th."

Sora blinked. That was right! He _knew _there had been something he'd forgotten that was important about July. Years ago, when he had still been in junior high, he remembered being told when the high school term started. As well as the entire process that must take place for one to enter high school at all. After contemplating this for a moment, his eyes widened.

"So…you want me to register?"

A small smile graced his mother's lips. "Your father and I will be taking you to register, yes."

Sora blinked again. "_Both_…of you? But isn't Dad…"

That was yet _another_ thing that had been bothering him. His father was part of the military. As a Captain, he had a very important job. Running a ship and all that. But he'd stayed at home this entire time and it seemed as though he'd been home for a long time before this…so why?

_For…me, right? He's staying here for me…_

Sora wasn't sure how something could feel so good and so off at the same time. It warmed his heart to be back with the parents that loved him, but he saw more clearly every day how he had destroyed the way their world had worked. What…had he been thinking before? To run away and see new worlds, the dream of every kid, the beautiful vision of freedom that always danced just beyond their reaching fingertips. But leaving—leaving for _real_, with no way to get back home—had caused things to happen that Sora now realized he'd never wanted to happen.

What…what if his Dad had _lost _his job? What if he'd quit? What if the long, unbroken line of service and honor and heroism within his family had at last been ruined by Sora's actions?

_But…I was saving my friends, and the worlds. In the end, I didn't have a choice. I **had **to leave._

Sora knew that before now those words had never sounded so empty to his ears. Things had changed and the more he realized that, the more uncertain and uneasy he became. He'd told his parents that he had become a hero. That much was true. And they were proud of him, even if the story of where he had gone and what he had done had been almost too much for them to hear. He hadn't even told them all of it. Becoming a Heartless, fighting Riku and then locking him away, begging on hands and knees before his enemies to have Kairi returned to him…he had edited those events out. Them, and others, Sora battling against a sense that a real son—a _normal_ son—would never have to tell his parents about such things.

_School…school is normal. People who go to school aren't off on other worlds, fighting shadows and leaving their families behind._

"Yes, both of us," his mother was saying, giving him a stern look. If she caught any hint of his inner turmoil, she didn't acknowledge it.

Sora smiled sheepishly after a moment, a hand going behind his head. "I guess that's that, huh?"

Nami practically beamed, revealing just where Sora's trademark grin had come from. "Afraid so."

Deciding that all his inward worries could wait to be resolved, Sora got to his feet, getting in a good stretch before speaking again. "I'm gonna go tell Kairi, 'kay? I want to be in the same classes as her and Riku again!"

Something flickered in Nami's expression for a moment, and Sora felt puzzled as he spotted it, but she only smiled again and nodded. "Just be back in time for lunch. And wear some of your new clothes, young man. You've been looking awfully scruffy lately!"

"Er…," was really the only reply Sora could make to that. Glancing down at the shorts he'd worn for the last four days and the shirt with various unidentifiable stains on it, he had to admit that she was right. Getting used to wearing magical clothing and having a wizard around to do laundry made it hard to remember that, yes, he was a slob at times. Laughing nervously, Sora fled up the stairs.

"I'll get right on it!"

Of all the things upsetting him, somehow it upset Sora most of all that he'd had no idea that Kairi had moved. Or rather, that her father had been in the process of moving. Or perhaps that it had never occurred to him that there would be _reason_ to move. The sensation of naiveté teetered at the top of an unstable pile of uncomfortable emotions, driving him to loiter outside the closed gate to the mayor's house, indecisive as to just what he was supposed to do now. The helpful cleaning staff inside had informed him that a new mayor had been elected and would be moving in soon, but they didn't know where the former mayor—_former_ his mind kept repeating, the emphasis more painful each time—had moved to.

He'd have to go and find her then. Sora knew he'd knock on every door in town if he had to…or wait!

"That's it!" He shouted happily, fist clenching in a victory punch. It felt nice, that familiar sensation of his worries evaporating. He'd always been like that, and it was comforting to know he could still do it. "I'll just ask Riku!"

Riku had a way of knowing things Sora didn't. Had a way of being "better" than him, though not really. Sora knew better now, but he was so used to falling back on Riku for help that the decision to do so didn't bother him at all. Riku was his _friend_, and friends helped friends. So of course Riku would know, and both of them could go find Kairi, and then they could all prepare for their first school year together after their adventure.

Sora couldn't help grinning as he thought about it, turning on his heel and heading further north, towards the low mountain range that separated their beachfront town from the metropolis in the center of the island. He _knew _Riku would be there, of course. Riku's family had owned the King's Crown Inn for ages and ages! That was one thing Sora knew would never change.

He could still remember jogging up the tree-lined paths, darting through the beautiful rooms to visit the "other worlds" painted on the walls, or just sneaking into the kitchens to filch some sweet bread. This had been before they'd been allowed to use their own boats to reach the islet—not that they didn't sneak out from time to time anyway—and had resorted to the Inn as the next best place to spend a day adventuring. Riku's grandparents were fun, nice, and had a habit of doting on Riku's friends as a means to embarrass their grandson. Sora couldn't even begin to count the happy memories in that place, so it made a lot of sense that Riku wouldn't have come down to visit Sora since their return. He would've wanted to reclaim that happiness, right?

As he darted inside the front door, Sora didn't even notice the sign beside it that read "Under New Management."

**……………**

On the other side of town, Kairi paused as she put up the last poster on her wall, glancing at her father with some surprise.

"…school?"

Felix smiled at her, looking dusty and rumpled from shoving boxes around in their new attic. Her father had a love of organization and would arrange anything from crates to pencil stubs in perfect, agreeable order. Why he would come down suddenly to remind her about school registration, she didn't know. She thought she might have heard the phone ringing earlier, though…

"Yep, school," he continued, stepping inside and looking incredibly cheerful about…something. "Moira called me to tell me that she's going to help arrange everything for you, Sora, and Riku."

Kairi paused, an odd, uncomfortable feeling gathering in her chest. She turned to look at her dad, voice uncertain. "…Moira?"

"Yes, she…oh. Oh yeah, I didn't…," Felix trailed off, looking embarrassed. He was a wonderful politician, but he had an adept secretary for a reason. He could be terribly absentminded, especially when other things were occupying his mind. Kairi distantly supposed that having a lost daughter and her friends return home all at once after fighting to save the universe was sufficient enough to distract him. "It's good that you'll be meeting her, then. She hasn't been able to visit because it's so close to the start of the school year. She's the principle of the high school."

…_that's right. Principle Eden_'_s first name is Moira._

Kairi's voice was quieter than she meant it to be. "Why…should I meet her? Won't I see her at school?"

In contrast, her father smiled brightly, looking excited now. "Well, yes, but you'll be see her at home a lot, too!"

She didn't know why, but Kairi's world was suddenly crumbling.

"She's my fiancée."


	10. Okay

**AN: **No excuses, no excuses. Time rolls on, yadda yadda. Here be some story.

**……………**

**_Another Day in _****_Paradise_**

****

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Nine: Okay**

Sora was amazed. The Inn must have been doing a _lot _better lately, to have the funds to make such improvements! He'd never seen it looking fancier. The traditional, "homey" air was still present, but the flooring was all new, all the countertops had been replaced, the rich scent of wood and flowers wafted through the air, and, if Sora wasn't mistaken, the buffet line in the dining area was twice as long. He almost couldn't believe it, turning slowly on his heel to take in all the new sights in the front lobby. His head tilted back and back, staring up with wide, awe-filled eyes at the new skylight, the glass arching downwards into a stylized spiral shape, just like the inside of a seashell. It split the sunlight into curving, graceful rays, painting the walls and floors a shimmering gold.

"Wow…"

"…_Sora_?"

Nearly jumping out of his skin, Sora spun around, a big grin spreading across his face at who he saw. "Riku! Man, why didn't you _tell_ me your grandparents fixed everything up? I would've come a lot sooner! I mean, not that I didn't want to visit or nothin', but I figured you'd want some time alone with them without me around to steal the show and everything."

Riku blinked for a moment, slightly blown away by his friend's enthusiasm. But, instead of returning it like Sora expected him to, Riku looked abruptly sheepish, turning uncertain eyes away.

"Ah…yeah. I guess you haven't gone out into town much, huh?"

Now it was Sora's turn to blink. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Even more surprisingly, Riku slumped a little, though when he looked at Sora there was a smile on his face. This made Sora frown in return. After all, he _knew _his friend. Riku had a habit of saying and expressing differently from what he really felt. A good clue into what was really going on was to watch his body posture.

He was slouching a lot. The last time Sora had seen him slouch, Riku had been the determined teenager going to face Xemnas with him, inwardly unsure of how he would ever really be able to go home. That meant that Riku was having a hard time dealing with…something. But what could it be?

"Guess I should show you…," Riku was saying reluctantly, causing Sora to frown all the more. The silver-haired boy must've noticed his disapproval, as his sheepishness grew more pronounced. "…you're seeing completely through me, aren't you?"

Sora crossed his arms. "Yeah, pretty much. What's wrong, Riku?"

"…nothing. Everything. Something…I guess," Riku admitted grudgingly, brows knitting together. He turned, seeming to gather his thoughts in that closed-off way that he never used to do. "My grandparents didn't fix up the Inn."

"Huh?" Now Sora was confused again. "But it's, uh, kinda obvious. Did someone give them a big donation or something? I thought they usually didn't accept stuff like th—"

"It wasn't that," Riku replied quickly, cutting him off. "They…sold it."

"_What?_"

"Just what I said," Riku stated, voice firm in the face of Sora's blatant disbelief. However, as even as his voice was, his eyes told a different story and he slouched to the point where he had to place a hand on the counter to stay standing. "They sold it. Moved to the main city. Months…ago."

Sora's eyes widened, words growing hushed as just what Riku was saying began to sink in. "Months…?"

_That means…they were gone when he came home._

_ They were gone._

Sora swallowed hard, that uncomfortable, _guilty_ feeling taking hold in his chest again, the one that he got whenever he saw his mother's hands trembling.

_He was alone, and I…_

Abruptly, Sora remembered that the home Kairi had known hadn't been there for her, either. Her father had stopped being mayor while she was gone. "Home problems" had been causing him enough stress for the people to feel that he couldn't efficiently maintain his office, or so the staff he had spoken to had said. But Kairi had come back, he had seen her…

But then she had gone again. Gone, when Axel had come looking for her, when Riku had had to protect her by pulling her and Pluto away from Destiny Islands. Sora hadn't fully understood when his friends had told him their side of the story, but now, _now _that he could see the results for himself…it meant so much more.

The vise-like sensation in his chest grew, closing tightly around his heart and Sora was hard-pressed to try and ignore it. His father had possibly lost his job, Kairi's dad had definitely lost his, Riku's grandparents had _moved away_ and the home he'd lived in since he was a child now belonged to someone else…

Focusing on that last part, Sora attempted to control his distress, speaking in as normal a voice as he could manage. "Riku…if they…moved…why are you still here? Shouldn't you…go find them?"

"I know where they're living now," Riku answered promptly, voice almost business-like, though his eyes were downcast. "It's a small house, but Grams says it's nice…Grandpa told me that there's a great workshop out in the back where he can carve and paint. They sell some of the stuff they make at a crafts fair every month…"

"You've…spoken with them?"

This time, a small smile graced Riku's lips. "Yeah…I called them the night I got back."

Sora felt almost ashamed at how much that was a surprise to him. Riku…the person that was Riku had become amorphous in his mind, shifting and changing from the boy that he had known for so long. Willful and proud when they were young, always the first to speak his mind, always the first to do, always the one to say he was the best. Then the Riku after the storm, haughty and angry, so strong and with the bitterness of one who wanted to be stronger, but never as much as they desired. Then the Riku who hid in the shadows, who faced his darkness and used it to try rectify some of what he had done, always there and always far away. And finally the Riku of today, older, different, carrying something on his shoulders that Sora knew he couldn't identify with, but that he wanted more than anything to help bear.

That was why Sora felt guilty over his astonishment. He…well, he had gotten used to a Riku that needed him. Just as he had gotten used to a Kairi that needed him. Today had been a rude awakening, it seemed. Both of his friends had problems, difficult problems that wouldn't be easy to solve, and Sora…Sora wasn't necessarily required to be there to fix them.

The thought, unbidden and unwanted, that perhaps the time of people _needing _him was passed, quivered through his mind before Sora hastily pushed it aside. They were friends! And they were friends not _just _because they needed each other, but because they _wanted_ to be together. And that was more important.

"That's great!" Sora exclaimed, the rush of his internal thoughts hopefully not taking up any noticeable amount of time. "How are they doing?"

There was a wealth of other questions Sora wanted to ask. Are they coming back? Are you going to live with them? Why did they leave? But Sora knew now – he might not have, when he was younger – that those were the kinds of questions that people, especially people that were Riku, needed to be asked. Riku would tell him, if he could.

"There doing just fine," Riku said with a reassuring smile, surprising Sora all over again by how sincere it was. Well, there was a hint of how it wasn't fine with Riku himself, but his grandparents were genuinely safe. "They, uh, won't be coming back here. To live, I mean. I'm renting…a room."

_Renting? Which room? Does he mean…?_

By the look on his face, Sora knew what he meant. Riku was paying someone else to so that he could live in the space that had been his home before. That…it didn't sit right with Sora. At all. It just…it was supposed to be _home_, wasn't it? Had it been…had it be empty when Riku had gotten there? What had Riku don--…he had called them. Riku had come home, seen the place empty, and called his grandparents. And then rented a room and…and taken care of _everything_.

Sora's parents had done all of it for him. All he'd had to do was tell them his story, wolf down the best meal he'd had in ages, and collapse into bed. Riku, with his grandparents gone, had probably had none of that. And he still…he was here, smiling…

_You really have changed._

Quite suddenly, Sora didn't feel as grown-up as he had that morning. What would he have done, if he had been in the same situation?

"Sora?" Riku asked, probably noticing the way Sora's gaze had drifted off. "Are you okay? It's alright, I'm fine, really. They said they're going to visit before school starts, and Mr. Tuesti has been helping me. You don't have to look like someone died."

Urk. That was a problem Sora had. For a person with a disposition that was so often sunny, anything _other _than cheerful was really noticeable. Wiping the worry off his face, Sora grinned, giving Riku a playful nudge in the shoulder.

"Me, worried about _you?_ Hah! At least I don't have to tell you about registration or anything. I was just gonna ask if you wanted to come with us."

Judging from Riku's slight frown, Sora knew he wasn't entirely buying it. But Sora didn't even know how to say "it" aloud. He was happy for Riku, he knew that. He was happy his friend wasn't lost in some dark place populated only by self-pity and guilt. Yet at the same time, Sora had been…well, he'd been ready to help Riku out of such a place. Adjusting to the fact that his help _wasn't _needed was strange and hard and difficult to think about. He felt uncomfortable, and young, and frustrated, but he was _Sora_. He wasn't supposed to feel those things, was he?

It occurred to him that maybe it was easier to be a Keyblade Master than a normal teenager. At least before he had some vague idea what to do with himself.

"Hm…alright," Riku finally said, and abruptly slung an arm around Sora's shoulders, manhandling him around and leading him down one of the halls. Sora, genuinely surprised, did his best not to stumble. "I've been really busy, so you can tell me what's been going on."

Double urk. Sora didn't know much of what was going on himself. He didn't even know where Kairi was. Feeling no small amount of dread, he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, uh, I've been at home, so I don't know a lot myself…I mean, I was going to ask _you_ if you…uh, knew where Kairi had moved to."

Sora expected a stare, and was justifiably confused when he got a chuckle instead. "C'mon Sora, it's called reading a newspaper. There was an article yesterday about the new mayor and at the end they had a forwarding address for the previous mayor."

"…oh."

Stopping at the doors to what Sora remembered as the place where Riku and his grandparents used to live – it would just be Riku now, wouldn't it? – his friend turned to face him, something unreadable in his eyes.

"Sora…are you okay?"

Sora had been hoping Riku wouldn't ask the question again. But Riku was Riku. He had a way of asking the difficult questions. "Not…completely."

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought."

Following the amazing new trend, Riku surprised him again, smiling weakly, fidgeting and looking uncomfortable in what Sora finally recognized as new clothes.

"Me neither."

They were quiet for a bit then, Sora working slowly through his thoughts. Then he returned the smile, his expression much the same.

"Want to talk about it?"

"…yeah."

Together, they turned, Riku opening the door for his friend, the odd gap that had been growing between them gradually closing once again. Sora admitted to himself that it had been there, between him and Riku, probably between them and Kairi as well, and that he was uncertain, discouraged, and a little lost. Thinking about school, about Riku alone and Kairi moving, about the rest of his life made it worse. But he would be…okay.

He wasn't alone, so he would be okay.


	11. Outsider

**……………**

**_Another Day in Paradise_**

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Ten: Outsider**

Kairi had the distinct impression that today was going to be difficult. Call it intuition, but as soon as the alarm went off – usually the bells inside her clock were so calming! – she couldn't help but feel that nothing was going to go exactly right. Laying in bed, staring up at her recently repainted ceiling, she wondered if it would really be so bad to just roll over and go back to sleep. After all, it wasn't like she _needed_ to go; they had her records from last year, so they knew what classes she'd be taking next. True, she had to pick her electives and those certainly were important.

But that didn't seem to be enough to urge her out of bed. Kairi knew her father was already up, various pots and cupboard doors banging in the kitchen. It was his tradition to make a fancy breakfast on those "big days"; her birthday, school registration, the first day of a new school year, holidays, things like that. That's how it had always been for them.

Without wanting to, Kairi thought of what her father had told her and wondered if that meant that he wouldn't be the one cooking breakfast anymore.

She didn't want to think about it. She would, eventually. She knew she would. But right now…she could ignore it if she wanted, couldn't she? That was her right, to take things at her own pace. She'd just returned from such a long journey, after all! That meant she was owed some time to adjust to…to everything, her father's engagement included.

With great reluctance, Kairi climbed out of bed, mechanically gathering her clothes for the day before fleeing down the hall to the shower. Another thing she didn't like: in the mayor's house her room had had its own bathroom. Here, only her father's room was connected to a washroom; Kairi had to go all the way down to the other side of the hall. This meant that, fifteen minutes later, she had to trudge, dripping and wrapped in a towel, back down the same way to her room.

It was petty and childish to be upset by that, but she just…it was just one more thing on top of all the _other_ things she had to deal with. It had never occurred to Kairi that so many small things – the bathroom, her father fixing breakfast, the closet shelf that was two inches too high – could generate such frustration. They were just little things! They didn't matter! Yet they got to her, Kairi frowning as she made her way to the kitchen, unable to find comfort in the delicious smell of pancakes and fresh fruit.

All her favorites, of course. Breakfast was already on the table when she arrived, the fluffy pancakes adorned with generous swirls of rich cream and twists of colorful citrus fruits, a glass of vanilla-sweetened almond milk next to it, along with a small dish of freshly-washed berries and apple slices. Her father had much the same, though with his customary Balamb coffee. It was all so familiar that Kairi's ire lessened a little, the girl telling herself once again that she should enjoy what she had rather than dwell on the things that were upsetting her. What was the point? She just had to remember that, and everything would be okay.

She had to keep believing that.

"Morning, fruit cup!" Her father said cheerfully, bouncing over to the table with napkins in hand. If Felix noticed any of her discomfort, he showed no sign of it. "You look ravishing! Ready for today?"

Kairi had the grace to blush. It wasn't anything different, really. The same type of one-piece skirt, the same pastel colors, the same urban style with buckles and zippers. What she always wore, that was all. But it was nice of him to say, even if she wasn't really ready. "You flatterer! And of course I am."

"Great!" Was the enthusiastic reply, Felix happily digging in to his food and looking generally excited. The mood was infectious, so Kairi allowed herself to smile as well. "Moira will be meeting us at the school atrium to help out! She was really happy that all of you were okay."

Kairi's smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. She'd forgotten that the principal would be helping them…and now that she knew the rest of the story, Kairi's reluctance returned in full force. She did her best to keep up with her father's cheerfulness and eagerness, eating her food with the same enthusiasm as always, but it was as tasteless as paper on her tongue.

**……………**

She had almost forgotten what school looked like. And the more she looked, the more Kairi realized that those renovations they'd been planning before she had fled from Axel on the beach had been completed. The H-shaped building had been repainted in neutral, modern tones, the old glass in the second-floor annex corridor replaced with blue-tinted panes that helped keep out sunlight while still opening up to the beautifully landscaped courtyard in front and the expansive playing fields out back. Above the annex the gallery had new panes as well, the old metal roof removed in favor of more glass, this time reinforced and with steel crossbars. At the bottom floor was the main lobby, clear and open as well with a spectacular view in all directions, all the way up into the gallery if one wanted, the main hallways on both sides accessible by wide double-doors.

The atrium was behind the lobby, glass as well and the newest structure on the campus, newer even than the separate cafeteria and gym that stood on either side of the playing fields. It was big, big enough for assemblies and plays and registration. The atrium was different from the annex in that the supporting pillars along the walls were bigger than normal, extending outwards and concealing long, sturdy shutters that could be pulled out to protect the glass walls in times of really bad weather. The islanders new how to make glass to withstand the elements, especially around here, but a little extra protection never hurt. Usually, the flanking, stone-made hallways created a lee in which the annex and atrium were protected, but the builders had found that it was better to err on the side of caution.

To Kairi, this was familiar territory, her last couple years at the school rushing back to her with surprising clarity. After everything she had gone through, she would have thought it would've been more difficult to remember, but she was proving herself wrong. She was already spotting familiar faces, Selphie prodding a nervous Wakka in the direction of the ever-quiet Lulu, who stood out amongst the cheerful summer colors in her somber black dress. Tidus was already getting into trouble, standing on things to peek up the skirts of girls walking through the second-floor annex corridor, one of the teachers—Miss Trepe, if Kairi remembered correctly—dragging him back to his parents.

She didn't see Sora or Riku, though. She'd assumed they'd come together, or at least, that's what Sora had said over the sphere network. The person she _did_ see was the last one she wanted to.

Moira Eden was a short woman, slender in build but stout in frame, making her compact and purposeful in her movements, more like a gymnast or a swimmer than a dancer. She kept her ash blond hair short, combed back from her pert, pretty face. She wore half-moon glasses, the frames delicate but steel-colored, accenting her storm gray eyes. Like every other time Kairi had ever seen her, she wore business dress, this time a pressed skirt and suit jacket, nevermind the heat, the color a restrained graphite.

Looking at her, Kairi had a sudden sense of intense déjà vu, the girl frowning as something completely alien occurred to her.

_She looks…like Larxene? Who's that?_

Puzzled and confused, Kairi was too busy trying to sort out her thoughts to notice as Principal Moira came up to them, greeting them with a calm smile. As a result Kairi nearly jumped when she spoke, though she did her best to recover.

"Good morning, Felix," she said, her voice strong yet composed, the tone one long-used to greetings and meetings and all manner of things. It _certainly_ didn't sound like how a…a fiancée would talk to their future husband. "Good morning, Kairi. It's good to see you back again and safe and sound."

"…thank you," Kairi heard her voice reply in a fairly friendly tone. Had her father told Moira everything that had happened? Or just that Kairi was back? She trusted her father to keep her secrets, and yet… "I…uh, I'm sorry I wasn't here to congratulate the two of you."

"It's alright," was the forgiving reply, very little changing in Moira's expression. Geeze, they weren't in school yet, she could show some emotion! "What's more important is that you're home. Do you like your new house?"

Leave it to a teacher to bring up the difficult things. "It's okay. One of the shelves in my closet is too high."

Moira smiled, though Kairi was looking close to see if it was fake. "I'm sure we could bring it down an inch or two. After the school year starts I'd be happy to help you."

Of course she would be. Did that mean she'd be moving in that soon? Weren't they supposed to be married first? She was certainly rushing things! "You don't have to do that. You'll probably be really busy, so I could just get a stool or something."

"Oh no, it's no problem," the woman replied, placing a strong hand on Kairi's shoulder. She was awfully friendly. Before the principal never touched a student like that. At least, Kairi had never _seen_ her do it. She didn't have to be so friendly right away. "You father told me you'd been through some tough times."

Kairi certainly had. But those…those were _her _memories, _her _experiences. They were precious and close to her heart, the good times and the bad times. From the stormy night to the beach at sunset to a world that never was: all hers. Kairi had never felt so protective of something before, but suddenly she couldn't bear the thought of someone, of an _outsider_, sharing them. It was bad enough she would be invading Kairi's home and her family and her life; she wasn't going to let her have her memories, too.

Gaze heating, something ugly twisting in her throat, Kairi almost said it, said everything all the bad feelings were making her want to say, but suddenly someone was yelling for her, the voice so familiar that the relief cut her off.

"Kairi, hey Kairi! Over here!"

Forgetting about Moira in an instant, forgetting about all the other things she needed to do today, and the next day, and all the days after that, Kairi whirled around, smile returning full force as she spotted them walking towards the lobby.

"Sora, Riku!"

Without a second thought, Kairi pulled away from her father, not even realizing that he had been holding her hand, completely unaware of the nervous, hopeful look on his face as Moira had walked up to them. She didn't see how his face fell, or how Moira slowly took his empty hand in hers, expression worried and guilty.

The only people that mattered to Kairi in that moment were the two that she knew, that were so fresh in her heart, looking like they always had. Sora, hair wild and crown necklace bouncing and flashing at his chest as he galloped up to meet her; Riku, rolling his eyes at his friend's outbursts yet smiling at the same time as he followed behind. She was colliding with Sora before she realized she'd been running just as fast, the two of them a tangle of limbs and hugs, avoiding the inevitable tumble to the ground as Riku's strong arms grabbed them as they started to topple over.

Kairi was smiling again, all the shadows leaving her, deciding that _this _was more precious than anything, even family. She didn't stop think about whether that was the right decision to make or not.


	12. Reunion

**AN: **The last scene in this chapter was entirely inspired by the awesome, adorable art of **rubyd** (you can find her on both Livejournal and deviantArt). It's all her, folks!

**……………**

**_Another Day in Paradise_**

**By**

**Rem-chan**

**……………**

**Chapter Eleven: Reunion**

Riku was in a good mood. A surprising thing, considering all the hassles he'd had the last week, but it was true. His home was starting to feel the slightest, tiniest bit like an actual home again. True, it was still all too fresh, too new, nothing lived-in or worn like he liked it. The furniture didn't give like it should, the cookery was too shiny, his sea life collection was barely a quarter complete, and he'd burned a hole in one of his new shirts because he still couldn't figure out that stupid iron.

However, Sora had come to see him. And what a difference that had made.

_"It's so weird to be home. It's like we're just normal kids again, isn't it…? Uh, well, I mean…since you're living on your own, Riku…"_

_ "No, you're right. But it doesn't feel right, does it? Like you're missing it. How things were."_

_ "…yeah."_

Sora had stayed the night, actually. They had called Sora's parents—the King's Crown had never had a sphere installed before, but Reeve had been adamant about being able to communicate with the main city—and they had agreed, albeit reluctantly. They would meet up with his parents at the school the next day. But for that night it had just been the two of them in Riku's room, the brightness from the lighthouse shining through his window at perfectly even intervals, like a heartbeat.

They had talked about a lot of things. Some dumb things, like always, going on about who could win a race now, or why Riku should cut his hair, or what they'd do to prank Tidus now that they were back. But there had been serious things, too, a lot of which they would've never even thought about a year or two ago. Experiences changed people, as Riku now knew so well, and that was something he was slowly but surely starting to come to terms with.

_"I…I feel like I'm not gonna be needed anymore. That's kinda silly, isn't it? I mean, I don't need it to be happy, right?"_

_ "Sora…"_

What did a person _do_ after they saved the world? Or worlds, in this case? All the old fairytales in his storybooks always stopped after the end of the adventure. But "happily ever after" was ridiculously vague now that Riku thought about it. So the prince saved the kingdom and married the princess; was the kingdom difficult for him to run? He had been from a foreign land; had the people of this new land trusted him? And what about the princess? Did she have children? Were they difficult to raise? Did the prince and princess even _know _how to raise children, having been without siblings and losing their parents at early ages? How did they live day to day after everything was over? Riku couldn't bring himself to believe that it was perfect bliss. Not after spending at least three mornings failing completely at cooking his own breakfast, a harrowing afternoon wrestling with his laundry and just how much detergent to use, and spending _this _morning wondering who was going to sign his registration form for school if none of his legal guardians or close family were present.

Life after the fact was harder than the fairytales let on. Riku could only secretly read as many cookbooks as possible, swallow his pride and ask someone—probably Sora's mother—how they cleaned their clothes, and hope for the best today. He'd figure it out…somehow.

_"What about you, Riku? Are you doing okay…?"_

_ "…it's kind of hard, but I think I'll manage."_

_ "But are you okay?"_

It had been so hard to admit out loud. Riku had known how much he'd missed the familiar voices and smiles that had once lived in this home the instant he had returned, but after all his claims, all his eagerness to leave home, the truth of how wrong he'd been had taken nearly all of the courage he had gained over his adventure to say.

_"…I miss my family."_

However, once it was there, once he had said it to the person who he felt deserved to hear it, a little something had changed in his heart. Didn't people say that knowing yourself was the most difficult thing a person could do, but once you did it you were a better person overall? Maybe they were right. If Riku was aware and could acknowledge that much of himself, it might mean things would be a little easier now. A little.

Riku still didn't know how things would work out today, but he was with Sora and Kairi, so it wasn't all bad. In the middle of laughing and shaking his head, Riku helped his two friends stand up straight again, putting on a look of practiced exasperation.

"Hey, hey, don't embarrass me!"

"I don't think it's us you have to worry about," Sora replied with a grin, shaking a finger at him. "I'd tell you, but I'd need a mirror to do that."

"Sora! That's mean!" Kairi said admonishingly, covering her smile with her hand. "Or are you jealous?"

"Wouldn't surprise me," was Riku's smug reply, and Sora expressed his disgust over such an idea with a gag. Riku had every intention of pushing him over, but a pair of people he vaguely recognized approached them before he could.

"Sora, Riku," the woman said and, hearing that familiar, unruffled voice, he realized it was the principal. He hadn't seen her in…was it more than two years? Riku had started his freshman year at the high school right after turning fifteen, but by the end of the year, just before their adventure had begun, he and Principal Eden hadn't exactly been on good terms.

Remembering the circumstances behind it, Riku's smile faded, the unfamiliar brush of nervousness trickling down his spine. "Principal Eden…"

Stormy gray eyes returned his look, Sora glancing between the two of them in confusion. Kairi, oddly enough, had retreated a step behind Sora, looking pointedly away from the whole situation. The affable, cheerful atmosphere that had existed a moment before had vanished with surprising quickness.

"It's good to see you both!" Stated the former mayor, Felix, placing a friendly hand on Riku's shoulder and ruffling Sora's hair, having known the two of them since they were small. For an instant, Riku thought he saw something strange in the back of the man's eyes, a kind of worry and anxiousness, but it disappeared almost as soon as he noticed, making Riku doubt he had seen it in the first place. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit you! I'm relieved to see you safely back home. But don't go worrying everyone like that again!"

Riku caught the quick, meaningful look Kairi gave him, which led him to assume that she'd probably told her adoptive father everything, just like Riku had told his grandparents and Sora had told his mother and father. But why did she flick her eyes to the principal and make a short, urgent shake of her head? Riku had already decided that telling the principal of all people their story wouldn't be a good idea, but why was Kairi bringing it up?

Maybe he was interpreting all these signals wrong. Sora, to his credit, was doing his best to brighten the mood again, patting down his hair and smiling brightly. "Hi old man!"

"Sora, you just got back and you have to hurt my feelings?" Felix whined with mock hurt, making a pitiful face at Kairi. "Fruit cup, you have to defend me here!"

Was it Riku's imagination, or was Kairi's smile a little forced? "Oh no, you're on your own."

Riku was his next target, Felix solemnly resting his hands on both his shoulders. "…Riku. You're an honorable boy. I need you to do this for me. You owe me!"

"I do?" He had to ask, crossing his arms and giving him a skeptical look.

Felix winked, stepping back and, much to Riku's surprise, easily slipping a comfortable arm around Principal Eden's waist. Even more shocking, she let him, looking completely at ease with it. Out of the corner of his eye, Riku spotted Kairi's tight frown, and suddenly understood.

_…things just got more complicated, didn't they?_

Riku didn't have much time to think about this, however, as Felix continued speaking. "Yep! I spoke with Moira and we worked out your schooling for this year. Because of what happened your first year you'll have to start as a freshman again—"

Sora and Kairi both gaped at Riku as soon as Felix said it and Riku knew that he was going to have to explain everything to them as soon as this was over with.

"—but we were a little worried about the legal half of it. You know either your guardians or immediate family have to sign your forms, but we got a call just this morning from the airship station and it looks like you won't have anything to worry about!"

Some innate instinct, akin to self-preservation or the acute alertness to danger that some animals had, drove Riku to brace himself for some kind of impact right before it happened. A good thing, considering in the next instant something barreled into him with all the force and speed of a Berserker Nobody, driving all the air out of lungs and nearly knocking him off his feet. Muscled arms closed around him like a vise, the steel-like grip causing Riku's eyes to water, while another set of arms locked around his neck, cutting off his feeble attempts to breathe. To top it off somebody's hands were in his hair, clinging to the only part of him that was still available to be clung to, Riku quite unable to hold back a pained wheeze.

And all three of them were yelling.

"Little brother!"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?"

"Your hair's so long!"

Well, Kadaj was the only one yelling, nearly choking Riku as he shouted into his ear, completely furious. Loz was the one sobbing into his chest, crushing his ribcage with relative ease. Yazoo was more than likely smiling, yanking on Riku's hair none-too-gently at the same time. As for all the other people witnessing this scene…they were silent. Which, Riku had to admit, wasn't that much of a surprise. The triplet elder sons of the deceased airship engineers—separated in age from Riku by about five years—were nothing short of legendary on the islands. Their path through public school was an epic tale in and of itself, filled with exceptional grades, sports trophies, and scholarships to attend an engineering academy to follow in their parents' footsteps before they had even graduated (which had been a year early, of course).

That's where they'd been for two years when Riku had last been home, absent during Riku's disappearance entirely, although it was obvious now that they'd been told about it, as well as his return, if their abrupt arrival was any indication. How weird it must have all looked, the idols of Destiny Islands, standing out like sore thumbs in their black, silver-trimmed flight suits, all but attacking their baby brother, who'd become quite notorious during his first year of high school when he'd shattered all the high, high expectations that had been placed on him by skipping most of his classes, sneaking offshore all the time, and back talking Principal Eden in front of an entire assembly.

All of which they were going to find out about. Everything he'd done, as well as everything that had happened after he'd disappeared. They were going to force every last scrap of information out of him one way or another. He would tell them everything, down to the smallest detail, and then they would kill him. The sensation of that realization hitting Riku felt very much like getting crushed by the flying chunks of buildings sent hurtling at him by a crazed Nobody of an assistant-turned-traitor, only worse.

"WELL?" Kadaj was demanding, finally releasing him and shoving off his brothers. The expression on his face was one Riku knew quite well and he swallowed heavily, suddenly feeling weak in the knees. "Let him go, I want to hear what he has to say. Loz, stop crying."

"I'm not crying!"

"Here," Yazoo handed a handkerchief to the tallest of the brothers, the pair of them joining Kadaj and standing in front of Riku expectantly. Kadaj had his arms crossed, eyes menacing. Yazoo was more relaxed, waiting, obviously about to let Kadaj do whatever he thought was necessary. Loz was blowing his nose. Loudly.

Riku swallowed again. Things had just gotten a _lot_ more complicated.


	13. Ghosts

**AN: **This one took a little longer than I would have liked. Oh well. Once again, credit for the idea goes to **rubyd**, for what is possibly my favorite piece of KH fanart ever.

……………

_**Another Day in Paradise**_

**By**

**Rem-chan**

……………

**Chapter Twelve: Ghosts**

Sora was bone tired. Today had been a lot of things. Exhausting, for one, especially the morning, during which he'd gone from feeling particularly cheerful and ready to face the world again to bruised, confused, and worried. The bruising had come from Riku's brothers, who had been about as thrilled to see him as they had Riku. Sora had grown up with Riku, so of course he'd known Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo. To a little boy, the brothers had been like distant gods, always in clothing that was coordinated and totally hip according to the style of the time, who were always good at everything they did, and who could bring down the always confident, haughty Riku with a dog pile and a triple-noogie. Now that he was older, Sora could understand a little bit of why Riku had acted the way he had when they were younger. After all, with brothers who everyone saw as so perfect, who more than likely treated him like…well, like the baby of the family, how could Riku _not_ want to be the one in charge, the perfect one, every now and then?

As an only child, Sora could only guess at what Riku's feelings were, but he knew that it wasn't all brotherly bullying and living in his siblings shadows. Riku had said it himself, hadn't he? He missed his family. Not just his grandparents, but his family. Sora had been able to see a little of it, that thing Riku had been missing, as Kadaj had grabbed him in a headlock, fist ruthlessly digging into Riku's hair until he got the information he wanted. Riku had always been all about looking for the subtle cues in order to figure out what he was really feeling. So despite his desperate struggles and pleas for help from his friends—Sora had tried to defend him, only to be waylaid by Loz—there had been _something _in his expression that was more than dread.

Relief, maybe? Sora hadn't had the time to ask him afterwards. In fact, he hadn't even seen Riku since then. The brothers had dragged him into an empty classroom for interrogation, Sora left dumbstruck in the hall and wondering if Riku would come out of it in one piece. Kairi had kept Felix and Principal Eden outside, though she'd been surprisingly reluctant to do so. Sora's confusion came from that discontented look on her face, the way she hesitated to go to her father. Sure, it had been a little weird how he'd been standing with the principal, but that didn't mean that…it just seemed so _unlikely_…

Laying in bed and staring up at his ceiling, Sora came to a rather uncomfortable realization. Two, actually. One being that Felix and the principal had…had _something _going on. It was the only explanation. The other being the embarrassing and awkward knowledge that when he was younger, or just a year or two ago, he would have _never_ noticed _any_ of the clues that pointed towards people having a relationship. He was still slow on the uptake it seemed, but back then he'd been totally clueless. That he wasn't so clueless _now_ was strange and perplexing. Sure, he'd changed, but not in _that_ way, right?

Sora didn't know who he was asking, but having all these questions and complexities running around in his head were all coming together to cause his incessant worry. He'd only just gotten his previous concerns out in the open—with Riku, anyway—yesterday and now there was even more to deal with. He couldn't figure out what to do with himself, he had no idea how much Riku would've told his brothers and what his brothers would do with what they learned, Kairi's father was somehow involved with the _principal_, and he was noticing far, far too much about the people around him.

Oh, and school. Rolling slightly on his side, Sora gave the papers on his desk a dirty look. Everything had been worked out for him. His parents had arrived right after Riku had been claimed by his brothers, and between his mother and Principal Eden they'd decided on what was best for him. Sora was lucky he'd gotten a few words in, but the truth was, he didn't know what he would've picked if it had been entirely up to him, anyway.

Classes were just the basics, for the most part. Language and literature, first stage, world history and physical activities, starter math and problem solving, and basic biology. According to Kairi, that's what most freshmen had their first year, along with at least one elective and some kind of guidance plan. Sora didn't know anything about the guidance plan; maybe it wasn't decided for him yet? He sure didn't know what he'd want, or even what he was really good at besides what he'd been doing for the last couple years. And he doubted there was a career niche for "Keyblade Master."

What made Sora the most uncomfortable, however, was the last choice. His father had been silent during registration for the most part, but when it came to Sora's elective, he had voiced what he thought might be best. Even before his adventure Sora knew his father had had it in mind for him, but the Destiny Islands Naval Cadet program just seemed so…weird for him to be in. He couldn't really say why. It wasn't like it came as any surprise to anyone else; his father was famous in his own right as a captain, and before him his grandfather, and then his great-grandfather. It had been expected of Sora since he'd been small and listening to all the exciting tales of his family's accomplishments had meant that he was more than eager to try.

Yet now it just…it didn't feel the same. Nothing did, not really. It was normal, yes. School and home and family were normal, and entering the Navy certainly sounded like the logical thing to do, even more so now than before. After all, he had experience! In a manner of speaking. He knew how to fight, his body was trained to handle difficult conditions and extended travel, and he could work well with new people on relatively short notice; all kinds of things he had picked up during his journey.

But it still didn't feel right. And the more he thought about it, the more frustrated Sora became. He was going around in circles! One day he would feel like he had gotten it all figured out, or under control, or at least less than it was, and then by the next day he was back to exactly where he had been before, if not worse off. Sora didn't like that at all. He was used to _doing_ by now, going forward. That's how he'd always been, or at least that's what it felt like…

Maybe he shouldn't think about it so much. Laying here like this certainly wasn't helping anything and the more he thought about it, the worse he felt, anyway.

"Could do something," Sora said to the air, seriously considering it. Sure, it was…well, the sun had gone down a while ago, so it wasn't _early _by any means. And the last time he'd snuck out at night things hadn't exactly gone very well. But he knew better this time and he could take care of himself. He didn't have just a wooden sword anymore, after all.

Mind made up, Sora slipped out of bed, sneaking to his dresser. He wouldn't go very far. Not as far as Destiny Islands, but there were nice spots on the shore near the lighthouse that he hadn't visited in ages. It was calm outside, the warmth from the day lingering in the rolling breeze that rustled the curtain of his windows. He wouldn't need anything fancy or heavy to wear, then, Sora digging around for a minute or two before finding a simple shirt and his swim trunks to replace his pajamas.

A few moments later he was out the window, dropping onto foliage gritty with sand and salt, then navigating down onto the path behind the lighthouse, the sweeping band of illumination from above lighting his way. Damp wind heavy with the scent of the night and the sea caught at his hair and clothing, Sora pausing as he reached the first turn in the path, placing him in the shadow of the low cliffs. He'd forgotten how it was here after dark, near summer's end when the worst heat was gone and the autumn rains were on their way. A person could go out on a night like this and watch lazy waves sway back and forth, foam rippling against the rocks beneath the path, the trees at the top of the cliff murmuring in the wind while the stars peeked out from behind the thin, dusty steaks of cloud cover.

Sora was surprised, a little. Not by what he saw, but by how it made him feel. It really _had _been a long time. It was just now occurring to him that despite all his world-hopping, he had never visited a place that had a scene quite like this. It was enough to make a person think a little more seriously about just how "dull" and boring this world really was.

But he had already made up his mind about things like that! No more thinking right now. Nodding to himself, Sora continued on his way, navigating the downward slope with ease, the path dropping down onto the crest of the lighthouse bay. The bay was tiny compared to some, the cliff casting it in shadow so that the beam from the lighthouse was only a small outline that pulsed slowly behind the trees on the cliff. That left just the quarter moon to illuminate the pristine white sands that curved in a perfect arc, a couple yards at most between the cresting waves and the line of trees and sea grass. Most people didn't come here during the day because low tide left it looking a little less than perfect, but if you were willing to come at night it sure was pretty to look at.

Sora had to smile. It was definitely worth it to sneak out. All his worrisome thoughts were gone, pushed aside, and his smile shifted into a grin as he pulled his shirt off and kicked off his sandals, making for the waves at a dead sprint. They lazily rushed up to meet him, breaking against his legs with a warm splash. Sora wasted no time, breathing deep and diving in, eyes closed against the salt and arms out to keep himself from doing anything dumb, like hitting the bottom with his head. The balmy water closed over him, the wind suddenly muffled, replaced by the steady, deep sound of the swells as the moved above his head. His dive didn't carry him very far, the waves catching him as he surfaced and gently urging him back towards the sands. Sora let them carry him along, leaning back and sighing happily, then laughing and sputtering as his head hit sand and the water moved over his face.

He was still laughing as he sat up, shaking his head and running his hands through his hair to get the grit out. He hadn't done that since he was a little kid! With a mirthful glare, he dove back into the surf, smile challenging as he measured his strength against the waves. It was an old game, one he never did win, but that didn't stop Sora from trying. By the time he was done he was laying bonelessly on the sand, water washing back and forth over his feet, sand clinging to his back and hair as he panted from happy exertion. He hadn't done that since he was a little kid, either.

It helped to remind of all the things he hadn't done in so long. He hadn't explored the familiar caves in the cliff side for new animals and plant life, he hadn't buried his friends in the sand, and he hadn't worked weeks and weeks to construct intricate tree houses and forts to pretend in. Sure, it seemed a little kiddy now, but what was wrong with that? It never hurt to be a kid now and then, even when you got older. Sora wanted to do the things he'd always done because they were familiar and comfortable and eased the troubles in his mind.

Thinking about it, he remembered something he'd discovered about the bay way back when. One section, a bit further down, dipped inward more than the rest, the waves tapering off and leaving only ripples; a perfect place for floating and relaxing and sneaking up to shove Riku under, if Riku didn't get him first. It became a fantastic tidal pool at low tide, the water crystal clear and the crabs and starfish and mussels and snails and all manner of things wriggling and swimming about the sun-dappled water during the day. Of course, he'd learned that at night, during high tide, it was a good idea to not step down on anything, not unless you wanted a painful surprise. But he'd be careful.

Grinning, Sora pushed himself to his feet and sloshed through the water, wriggling his toes in the damp sand as he made his way to the spot that he remembered. Much to his delight it was bigger than he remembered, its far end encroaching upon the trees, sea grass rustling at its edge. The moon outlined the ripples on its surface in silver as Sora came up to it, shivering and disappearing only to reappear when the clouds shifted. He went towards the sandy edge near the trees, where the pool life was the sparsest, hoping to avoid any nasty surprises when he was already so relaxed. Unlike the actual waves, the water he slipped his feet into had a lingering warmth, gathered during the day while it was confined.

Sora's grin shifted to a softer smile as he waded in up to his waist, muscles relaxing, breath slowing. It was a little surprising to realize that he hadn't exactly relaxed like this since coming home. Maybe it was because he was so uncomfortable…? Without Donald and Goofy, without some kind of purpose, he had been on edge, _expecting_ them to come, expecting something to happen. When it didn't, it left him frustrated and tense. But here all that agitation just faded away, any lingering worries going with it.

He was so preoccupied that he didn't see them at first. But Sora eventually spotted the…sparkles? They made him think of sparkles, though when he actually paid attention he realized they were fireflies, casting their glow on his surprised features. He was startled to see them, considering the season for them was practically over, but then, there weren't that many, so maybe these were all that were left? They rose off the water's surface as he disturbed it, each one a delicate color somewhere between yellow and green. Sora couldn't quite keep the awe from his expression as he watched them float and dance around him, flickering like stars dipping down to touch the sea, rising and dropping playfully.

How many where there…? Sora tired to keep track of them, picking one to follow, voice playful as he pointed to it. "Sora!"

Another crossed his vision, seeming to chase the first. "Riku!" And then another, following those two. "Kairi!"

Sensing a game, Sora kept on, doing his best to name each one only once, turning and laughing as he followed them. "Donald, Goofy…Mickey! Leon, Cloud…Aerith…Yuffie, Cid! Tidus, Wakka, Selphie!"

He knew he was probably repeating by now. There really weren't that many, though it seemed like there were with him spinning around and around, trying to keep them all in sight. Sora was having fun, though, so he didn't see why it mattered. He kept going, memories flickering in his mind, the excitement of past adventures bubbling up in his chest.

"Belle, Beast! Tarzan, Peter, Alice, Simba!"

It didn't feel so long ago. And it had been grand, hadn't it? He'd saved so many worlds, met so many people.

"Mulan, Jack…and Jack! Aladdin, Jasmine, Tron!"

Okay, a little part of him wished he was still on an adventure. Was that so bad? It had been…well, it had been everything. The whole point had started out as finding Riku and Kairi so he could come home, but…he wouldn't have changed anything.

"Hayner…Pence…Olette!"

Nope, not anything! Sora was happy with how it had turned out, in the end. He had found his friends, the worlds were safe, and now they were home. Everyone had had their happy ending.

"Axel!"

…well, not…not everyone. Sora's smile faded a little, the sloshing of the water quieting as he came to a gradual stop. The fireflies seemed to match his pace, drifting slowly back down, the light a little easier to see as the clouds drifted in front of the moon again. When he wasn't moving so much or so quickly he could actually keep track of how many there were, the tiny dots drifting around him, slowly but surely descending back towards the dark surface of the water. Not quite sure why he was doing it now, Sora started counting again, using only numbers this time.

"One…two…three…"

It…wasn't like he'd completely ignored it. It hadn't been like that. It was just…he'd had to do it, hadn't he? There wasn't any choice about it. Sure, he hadn't exactly questioned Yen Sid, or thought about what it all meant, in the beginning…

"Four…five…six…"

They had been hurting people. The worlds had been put in danger because of them and they were stealing hearts away. That made them just as bad as the Heartless. Sora had never had any problems fighting the Heartless; they were mindless, seeking out everything by instinct, serving power. And the Nobodies were just as bad.

"Seven…eight…"

Just…the Heartless didn't pretend that they were normal. They hadn't been capable of it. Heartless didn't remember things, or want things, or changed their minds about what they were doing. The Heartless didn't act like people. Sora had been told the same about Nobodies. They weren't normal. They weren't people. He only had to beat them.

Then one had saved him and told him that Sora had made him feel. Nobodies weren't supposed to do that.

"Nine…ten…"

He hadn't thought about it. He couldn't, back then. If he'd stopped, if he hadn't kept going, would he have been able to do it? He tried talking to Xemnas, he really had. He had! But Xemnas had said that he didn't remember anything else, and had gone on fighting, and Sora had stopped thinking about it again.

"Eleven…"

Sora wasn't moving at all now, one hand slightly outstretched as one of the tiny lights, the last one, drifted onto his palm. It was warm. Or maybe his hand was cold.

"Twelve."

The others were disappearing one by one, fading into the shadowed ripples like the ghosts of fallen stars. Sora looked down at the last, still there because he held it aloft, kept the light going. Quietly, quietly, in the back of his mind, he began to wonder.

Maybe…maybe it wasn't such a good idea to stop thinking, sometimes.

Maybe…


End file.
